Rubble
by andsowasi
Summary: The new Dark One spends her time wreaking havoc on Storybrooke. But what happens when she grows bored of it? Will Killian be able to resist being her new toy?
1. Chapter 1

Killian, David, and Mary Margaret stepped gingerly over the rubble where the supermarket had once stood. A charred shopping cart sat to their left, upended, it's melted wheels motionless.

"This can't have been Emma." Mary Margaret whispered, her eyes wide.

David sighed angrily. The midnight call from the station had been the last thing he wanted. He didn't mind late night calls usually, but lately they all seemed to surround catastrophes caused by his daughter.

"It was." Killian sounded defeated as he crouched to pick up a shred of black leather, seemingly untouched by the blaze that had torn through the business.

Mary Margaret bit her lip. "What do we do?"

"Same thing we have been." David answered, turning back to the squad car. "Fill out a report and add it to the gigantic list of why the town hates us." He pulled a clipboard from the passenger seat through the open window and began to scribble on it. "With any luck we can get it done before people show up."

No sooner than the words passed his lips did a faded truck squeal into the parking lot.

"Fat chance, mate." Killian called, tucking the piece of fabric into his jacket pocket.

They all turned to see Leroy running toward them.

"What the hell happened?!" He yelled, looking around.

"Don't know yet." David said, looking back down at the clipboard.

"It's her again, isn't it?" Leroy glared at the ruins and growled under his breath.

The prince's head snapped up. "Didn't you hear me? I just said said we don't know yet. Don't ask questions if you're not going to listen to the answers. Now, please evacuate the premises. Official police business."

"Aw come on!" The shorter man raged and pointed to Killian and Mary Margaret. "They're not police."

"Hey, guys, wanna be deputies? Great! You're deputies." He turned away from the pair to look back at Leroy. "They are now. So please excuse us." He gave the man a dazzling smile and resumed his writing.

"Fine." Leroy sighed before climbing back in his truck and peeling out of the lot, obviously eager to run to Granny's and share what he had witnessed.

"Well, that was harsh." Mary Margaret said, coming up beside her husband. After a moment, the two were engaged in a heated discussion.

Killian frowned at the rubble, kicking away a lump of something next to his boots.

Something at the back of the charred concrete building caught his eye. A flash of something white and shiny black. He looked up and narrowed his eyes, scanning the area.

And there she was, peering at him from around the corner.

Emma Swan.

She looked only vaguely like she used to. Her once honey blonde hair had become a color akin to ice. She'd shed her customary jeans and buttery red jacket for something a bit more edgy. Her black leather pants fit like a second skin. The matching corset pushed her bosom up like it was being offered as a meal. Her leather duster swirled around her thighs in the gentle breeze.

She lifted a hand and crooked her index finger before disappearing behind the building.

He glanced at his companions and found them still deep in their conversation.

Killian moved across the lot soundlessly, pausing for a brief moment before slipping around the corner.

She was reclined against the charred brick, one ankle crossed over the other, scrolling through an article on her phone. It disappeared in a puff of red smoke when she saw him and she straightened up.

He cocked his head slightly to the side, eyeing her warily. In the beginning, she'd tried to remain her old self. That had failed about a month later. She'd stopped snowing her face in town about the same time everything went to shit. Businesses were vandalized almost every night.

"Don't look at me like that, Killian." She snapped. Her voice sent a shiver down his spine. Even that was different. The pitch was all wrong. It sounded too high, and cold.

"How should I look at you? I was just woken in the middle of the night to come take a look at your latest tantrum." He crossed his arms. "Honestly, we know you're wonderfully powerful. There's no need to do all this just for attention."

She waved her hand and his back slammed up against the bricks. "You will NOT speak to the Dark One that way." She hissed.

"So, you're going by that now?" He managed, trying his best to keep his cool.

"Oh, yes. Suits me, doesn't it?" Her smile was pure venom.

"Mmm. So, why stick around after causing all this mess? You never have before."

She sighed, releasing him. "I've grown bored, my dear Killian. Making the town scramble just isn't as fun as it used to be."

"And?" He rubbed his left shoulder, trying to massage away the pain hitting the wall had caused.

"And I thought I'd try something a little different." She moved closer and shoved him against the wall again, this time with her own hands. Before he had time to object, her mouth was on his, drawing a tortured moan from him.

She pulled away and released her hold.

"Sorry, love. Not interested." He panted. "I've got to get back to your parents."

"They can wait." Her mouth found his again, and this time it was he who pressed her into the wall, his hands holding her wrists captive above her head.

"Emma, please. Don't do this to me." He whispered roughly, looking into her eyes for the first time since she changed. He expected to see at least a glint of the old Emma there, but there was nothing. "I worked so hard to be good for you. I changed everything about myself. You know how much I want you, but I don't want you like this."

Her eyes narrowed again. "Beggers can't be choosers. You want me? This is your chance." She rocked her hips forward and licked her lower lip.

His mind raced. He didn't want to undo all of the work he had done. Of course a large part of him wanted to just forget and surrender to her.

What was he supposed to do?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone that followed and favorited! Feel free to follow me on Tumblr. TheUnintentionalFangirl. I post the occasional fic there that doesn't make it to this website. I follow back! Anyway, here you go!**

She looked up at him expectantly, mocking him. "Tick tock, my little pirate."

"Be quiet." His glare did little to stifle her teasing.

"I suppose that's it, then. You had your-"

He shoved her roughly, the back of her head smacking against the bricks. He pinned her wrists above her head, and pressed his lips to hers. "Do not mock me." He growled against her mouth.

"Then do something!"

He tried to resist it. He really did. But he was only human.

Killian descended on her ear, licking a scorching line from it to her collarbone. She moaned, her hands pulling at his.

He looked up and met her gaze. "No. You want something to break up your boredom? You want me? Fine. But it will be on my terms." He released her hands and stepped back.

"What does that mean?" She was angry at him for changing the dynamic. She wanted him to fear her, and it wasn't working.

"Jolly Roger. After dark." He turned and walked back to her parents without looking back. On the inside, however, he was torn to pieces. What had he done?

"Hook!" David called out to him as he rounded the corner. "Where were you? We're just about done here."

"Just looking around." He shrugged.

"Alright. Let's go back to the loft. I think we need to come up with a game plan."

The trio climbed into the squad car and made the fifteen minute drive in uncomfortable silence. They reached the loft, and Mary Margaret poured three cups of tea.

She pushed one toward Killian and he pulled his flask out, seasoning it to his liking. When he looked up to meet the Prince's disapproving gaze, he simply raised his eyebrow. "Care for a splash, mate?"

David shook his head, but Mary Margaret reached across the island and grabbed the container. She poured a generous amount into her cup and handed it back to him.

David began. "Alright. I think it's time to have a serious discussion about Emma. We can no longer ignore the fact that all of these incidents are linked to her. We need a plan."

"She's trying to establish herself in our minds as the Dark One." Killian said, scowling into his tea.

"How do you know this?" Mary Margaret asked quickly. "Have you talked to her?"

"No." He said, quietly. "We were close enough. I know how she thinks."

His brain screamed at him. Told him that lying was something the old Killian would do.

"If that's the case, the only thing to do is freeze her out." The prince said, taking his keys out of his pocket and tossing them on the counter.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I mean we stay away from her. We ignore her. She wants to rile us up and we aren't going to let her." He took a sip of his tea.

"David, I don't think it's come to that." His wife said, laying her hand on his.

"Do you have a better idea?" He frowned.

She was silent for a moment before admitting she didn't.

"We all need to be on the same page. We need to get the whole town behind us." He pulled his phone out and dialed a number, holding it to his ear.

"Leroy." He barked into the phone. "Want to help with that official police business? Spread the word through town that everyone needs to stay away from Emma. Don't speak to her, don't go near her. Thanks." He stabbed the "end call" button and set the phone on the counter.

The sky was dark as Killian approached his ship. The streets were empty by late afternoon for the most part now. Everyone was so terrified of being caught in one of Emma's explosions that they didn't go out after dark anymore.

He reached the docks and paused for a moment. As much as he missed her, he wasn't sure this was a good idea. He had every intention of only speaking with her. Telling her that she needed to stay away.

Problem was, screwed up as she was now, he didn't want to tell her that. It had been almost a month since their group had found themselves back in Storybrooke. No one had regained their memories. The only thing they knew is that whatever happened, it resulted in Emma having an intense, deep hatred for each and every one of them.

He sighed and climbed the ramp, boarding the Jolly. The deck lamps cast an orange glow across the boards and everything seemed much too still. The door to his quarters was open, but the room was dark.

"Emma?" He whispered, glancing over his shoulder. It would be just his luck that David would decide to pay a visit at that very moment.

He felt a set of sharp fingernails graze the back of his neck and jumped. She giggled and moved around to face him. The sound was unwelcome, full of malice.

"Inside, Swan. Now." He shoved her inside the cabin and yanked the door shut behind him. They stood face to face in the darkness, her hot breath on the side of his neck.

"I feel as if I should be insulted. It's almost like you don't want to be seen with me." Her voice was level, calm, but he could tell that there was a shred of self-consciousness in the statement. The old Emma.

"It's been a long day, that's all." He tried to keep his voice steady, trying his hardest to make things like they used to be.

"Don't lie to me, Pirate." He could see her sneer in the darkness.

"I'm not." He moved to the lamp in the corner of the room and lit it before looking back over at her. "Now, why don't you sit down and tell me what it is you want?"

"I'll stand." She said, her eyes moving about the cabin. "I believe I already made it clear that what I want is a little excitement."

He hummed his agreement. "Aye, you said that. But what do you mean by it?" He sank down onto the side of his bed, taking a sip from his flask.

"I mean that having an illicit affair with someone who is supposed to be 'freezing me out' sounds like just the thing."

Killian went pale. "How do you know that?"

She grinned. "You think I'd terrorize a town without making sure I could listen to everything?" The Dark One shook her head and laughed. "I've got enchanted objects all over town. Granny's, the loft, the station…" Her voice trailed off as she sauntered across the cabin and picked up a pen off the desk in the corner. "And the funny thing about enchanted objects is that it can be anything. A book, a lamp, a _pen_."

He could hear his heart pounding, but kept his cool. "I see."

"Oh, the things you hear." She set the pen back in it's spot. "Granny yelling at Ruby for being out all night, Regina and Robin discussing their 'woe is me' relationship, Mary Margaret fussing at David for not changing Neal. All wonderfully normal things. And then you hear the juicy bits, during the rather lonely times." Her voice changed, becoming husky and desperate. " _Oh, Emma. Emma, yes. Yes!"_

The pirate's blood boiled. "Out!" He roared, rising and pointing to the door.

"Oh, I don't think so." She said, gingerly sitting where Killian had just been. "I came here to discuss your terms. And we are going to. But don't think for a moment, Pirate, that I have to agree. I can make you do anything I want. I'm just a bit curious."

 **A/N: Read and Review and I'll love you forever!**


	3. Chapter 3

He grabbed the pen off the desk. "Before we discuss anything, tell me how long you've had an enchantment on this."

She leaned back, placing her hands behind her, the motion pushing her breasts up and almost out of her skimpy corset.

"Honestly? Since the night we came back." At his continued anger, she smiled. "Oh, don't fret. You've become my favorite activity. Listening in every night. You should be flattered that the Dark One considers you worth her time."

"I'm not. I'm disgusted." He hissed.

"Hmm. Whatever you say, Pirate. You're not as tough as you're acting. Trust me, I've heard everything. You're angry with me to the point I can see you over there shaking with it." She gestured with her head. "Yet, you still call out my name when you cum. You weep for my soul in the middle of the night."

"That's enough, Dark One!" He sneered. "Now shut the hell up and listen or leave!"

She ran a sharp fingernail across her lips, as if zipping them, a bemused smile following.

"You want me after all this time? You've tormented me every single moment since we met. Then you kissed the common sense out of me and it's all gone downhill from there!" He paused, drawing is a shallow breath. "And after that, we spent so much time being just a breath away from together that I started not knowing which end was up. Every time it felt like I was close to finally being with you, something happened to yank it away."

Her grin slipped into a frown, her brow furrowing.

He continued. "So, if for some reason you've decided that you want me, it will be on my damned terms. Dark One or not, you can not control this!"

"Fine." She said, almost primly. "Tell me your terms."

"First, you will not breathe a word of this to anyone. No one will know. Second, I am tired of those idiotic clothes." He pointed to her corset. "Not that I don't appreciate the view, but if you're to be mine, you'll wear what you used to when you're with me."

She scowled but remained silent.

"Third, when you're with me, you'll address me as Killian. Nothing else." He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her complaints. To his surprise, there were none.

She swirled a hand in the air and became briefly encased in a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, she looked very different. Her clothes had changed back to her customary tank top, leather jacket, jeans, and knee high boots. The only thing that remained of the Dark One was her icy blond hair and deep pink lipstick.

"Much better." He murmured. "Now come here."

The Dark one rose and moved to stand in front of him. He reached behind her and pulled the pin from her bun, the white hair cascading down her back in silky waves.

He ran his thumb roughly across her top lip, then the bottom, trying to remove some of the lipstick. When that did nothing, he frowned at her.

She shrugged. "It will come off when I want it off."

Instead of answering, he wound his fingers in her hair and yanked her head back. She moaned, her eyes sliding shut. His mouth found her neck again, nipping at her collarbone.

He walked her backward until her legs hit the bed, lips never moving from her neck. She fell back onto the bed, pulling him with her.

Emma tugged at his shirt as his lips met hers again, pulling it from his jeans. The pirate grunted as her sharp fingernails trailed behind the shirt, grazing his bare skin.

"Careful, love." He said, eyes glinting. "If anyone's to leave a mark, it's me." He leaned back, allowing her to pull the shirt up and over his head.

Her eyes took in his bare chest, dark hair obscuring most of the pale skin beneath. The snug jeans he'd taken to wearing since their first date were low slung, the muscled stomach and hip bones clearly visible. As much as she enjoyed being the Dark One, she still occasionally indulged in human pleasures. This, she decided, would absolutely be one of them.

Killain slid his hands up the side of her top, moving them to her breasts. Though the fabric was heavy cotton, the twin peaks of her taut nipples were clearly visible. He leaned down to nuzzle her left breast, his breath hot against it.

She moaned, despite herself, and wove her fingers into his thick hair. He pulled at the top few buttons on her top until they popped open, freeing her breasts.

His tongue traced the curve of the slope, inching closer and closer to her aching nipple.

Then he stopped.

He rose from the bed and looked down at her. "Now, that is a pretty sight." He knew he was on borrowed time, with Emma being so docile, but he couldn't help it.

She scowled up at him. "If this is your idea of humor, it's a poor mistake." She sat up, quickly pulling on the tank top.

"Not at all." He moved to the end of the bed, picking up his discarded shirt and pulling it on. "I just merely found it to be a good stopping point."

"You little-!" She was silenced by his fingertip pressing up against her lips.

"Patience, Dark One. Anticipation makes it that much sweeter. Now, as I told you earlier, it's been a long day. I'll be going to sleep now. And unless becoming the Dark One has made you a cuddler, I suggest you leave."

She moved her hand across her chest, the new clothes reappearing. "Goodnight, _Killian_." A column of smoke enveloped her form, when it cleared, she was gone.

Killian dimmed the lamp and dropped onto the bed, pulling his shirt off and rubbing a hand over his face.

Shit.

He'd meant to rile her up enough to make her stay away. Make her angry enough to not want anything to do with him. That was the right thing to do. He'd planned to call David the moment she was gone and tell him everything.

But his phone remained in his pocket.

He fell back against the pillow and groaned.

"Swan, I know you're listening." He whispered into the darkness. "Come back to me. Please. Come back to us."

 **A/N: Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, or reviewed! I have a second job working night shift on Sundays and Thursdays. So I will be updating both of those nights each week. But reviews keep me going, so...Share some love? Plllllease? Thanks, dolls!**


	4. Chapter 4

He lay still in the darkness, waiting for some kind of sign. But nothing came. The room stayed exactly as it was, quiet and dark.

Killian closed his eyes and sighed. She would come around. She had to. And if tonight had shown him anything, it was that there was still a tiny bit of the old Swan in there somewhere.

He had no doubt that is was a very small piece of her now, this old Swan. But no matter how small, he was going to make it grow.

The next morning, Killian awoke to the sound of rain pounding the deck of the Jolly. He lay in bed, just listening for a while, before deciding that it sounded like more than a summer storm.

He dressed and forced himself to exit the warm room, being met immediately with high winds and icy rain.

David's truck was parked at the end of the dock. The prince gestured for him to come over through the glass.

After making a mad dash to the rusted vehicle, Killian climbed inside.

David handed him a to-go cup from Granny's. "Morning. Have you looked at the weather?"

"No." He answered, taking a sip. "I've told you and your wife a hundred times I don't know how to work that damned thing."

The damned thing in question being his cell phone. Theyd first pushed the phone onto him when Zelena was trying to bring down Regina, and after a few weeks he learned how to make calls. Then they tried to teach him about something called "apps" and he'd decided that that was enough for him.

"Anyway," he continued, "I can look outside and see the weather."

The blond man sighed. "The weather app on your phone predicts the weather for the next few days. In this case, there is a hurricane moving it's way up the easy coast. It's supposed to get much worse. Snow sent me down here to warn you because she accurately predicted that you wouldn't use your phone."

"And here I thought you were the one that cared, mate." The pirate flashed the prince a grin and he chuckled.

"Do you want to ride the storm out in the loft with us? It will be dryer and probably safer."

Killian shook his head. "Thanks, but no. A captain stays with his ship during bad weather. It's good form."

"Alright. Well, mind helping me secure a few things around town before it gets bad? I'd ask Leroy but I think he's still mad about the "police business" thing."

Before giving Killian a chance to agree, David shifted the truck and it lurched forward.

"Guess that's a yes then."

Killian returned home, soaked and exhausted. He and David had spent the entire day doing "mandatory maintenance" until the high winds sent them home. He'd gotten a free lunch out of it, but the day left him grouchy.

On top of that, as he walked over to his ship, he could see just how bad the storm was going to be. He hadn't had a chance to secure anything before he left, and now it seemed to be too late. The wind was whipping at the sails, which had unrolled sometime during the day. The rain had starting coming down much harder, and the deck was full of at least 3 inches of water.

He hurried up the ramp and headed straight for the sails. He had to get them rolled or he could risk them being torn to pieces. After what seemed like hours of pulling on the ropes, he heard a voice behind him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma yelled.

He looked up at her, noting that the sky had changed from a soft gray to something much more sinister. Lightning crossed the slate colored clouds and the wind howled in his ears.

"I've got to get these up!" He bellowed, continuing his work. A wave smacked into the side of the Jolly, forcing the ship to tilt to the left.

A heavy crate slid across the deck, slamming into his left leg. It gave way, the pirate collapsing next to the crate.

"Okay, enough!" She said, throwing up a hand. A white light erupted from her palm, then surrounded the ship. When it cleared, a shimmering bubble remained around the Jolly. The storm raged on, but the water around them remained still.

She yanked him up, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Come on." She led him to the cabin, dodging mangled crates and splinters jutting from the deck on the way. He limped along with her, the wound leaving a trail of blood behind them.

Once they were inside the cabin, she deposited him in a chair and knelt down in front of him. His jeans had a large tear down the side, and his mangled skin was covered with blood.

She yanked the leg of his jeans apart, baring the wound. He hissed in a breath as she prodded the tender skin around the gash.

Emma trailed her fingers across the gash, leaving behind clear skin. It still stung, but it was nothing like it had been.

"Thank you, Swan." He managed.

She nodded and stood. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing?"

He frowned. "I told you. The sails had popped open and I needed to secure them."

"In the middle of a damned hurricane?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Aye, your father kept me out all day taking care of the whole town."

She visibly stiffened at the mention of David. "You'll refrain from speaking about those people in front of me."

"Fine, Swan. Look, I appreciate you saving my ship. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart. However, I'm still sticking to my guns." He stood, wincing when he put weight on the previously injured leg. "I'm going to get ready for bed, so if that will offend you, I suggest you leave."

She sat in the chair, examining her nail beds.

Shrugging, he pulled off his jacket and shirt, followed by his boots, socks, and jeans. Clad only in his boxers, he moved to the bed and slid under the covers. He stacked his hands under his head and leaned back.

"Why did you do it, Swan?" He asked.

"Do what?" She flipped over her hand, examining the nails from a different angle.

"Help me."

She glanced over at him. "I don't know." She stood. "I—I have to go. Goodbye, Killian." There was no malice in her voice, only confusion. She disappeared from the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

After a moment, he pulled out his phone. He tapped a button and held it to his ear.

"David?" He asked, when the other person answered. "Town meeting tomorrow morning. I have something to tell you all. I only hope it doesn't cause a riot. Thanks." He ended the call and smiled.

She actually cared. Emma was still there.

 **A/N:** **Read and review, Darlings? I'll upload a new chapter tomorrow in exchange!**


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning came quickly. David called around nine and told him the meeting would be held in about an hour.

After bathing and dressing, he jogged down to the town hall and yanked open the door.

He hadn't expected the entire town to show up, but they had. David and Mary Margaret stood at the front of the room, chatting animatedly with Granny. Upon seeing Killian, the princess handed her son to the older woman, who took a seat in the second row.

David slapped the pirate's back and pulled him in close for a little powwow. "Hook, what's going on?"

"You'll see, mate."

The prince shrugged and called for quiet in the room. Once everyone had settled down, David extended a hand to Killian.

He cleared his throat and glanced around, a little unsure of how to begin. "So, I know the rule now is to freeze Emma out. And I was all for it."

Another glance round the room revealed Mary Margaret's irritated glare. Shit. How was he going to say the next part without getting murdered?

"Last night I returned to my ship in the midst of the storm. My sails had unfurled and my leg was injured as I tried to secure them. Emma appeared on my ship and protected it, as well as healing my wound. When I asked her why she did it, she became anxious and left."

Leroy stood up. "So what you're saying is you've been seeing the Dark One while the rest of us have been told to keep our distance?" He yelled. "The whole point of this was to have a town united against her!"

"I have not been seeing her, and you're missing the point!" Killian fired back. "If Emma was evil, truly evil, why would she have helped me?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Granny asked. "You're screwing the Dark One!" Many other townspeople chimed in with their agreement. It had been no secret that the two of them were together before Emma tethered herself to the darkness. However, that was out of line, and Killian angrily told her so.

"Alright, settle down!" David roared over the noise. "Either listen to the man or leave."

No one moved, but the sea of irritated faces was enough to throw him over the edge.

"Look, I know she's wrecked half the town, and you should be angry about that. But, are you just going to forget all the good she's done? She saved each and every one of us. More than once! So, yeah, she's a little screwed up right now, but damnit, we have to do something! Emma is still in there!" He shot a desperate look at Mary Margaret, who looked down at her lap. David refused to meet his eye.

Leroy, however, had a lot to say. "We are supposed to be united. So I guess it comes down to this: Are you with us or with the Dark One?"

"Enough!" David said, grabbing Killian by the bicep and hauling him outside. "I get that you had good intentions, but this way not the way to handle it."

"What?" I was supposed to go to Mommy and Daddy for permission to speak about their precious daughter?" The other man sneered. "I don't think so. Don't you believe there's good in her anymore?"

"Honestly, Hook? I don't know. But I'm keeping my distance and you should too." David turned away to go and collect his wife and son.

Killian stormed to the docks, body shaking with anger. He climbed the ramp and made a beeline for his cabin, slamming the door behind him.

Emma was propped up on his pillows, legs crossed at the ankles.

"I assume you were listening." He said dryly.

"Oh, yes." She said. "And I'm here to tell you you're wrong."

"About?"

"Me. I like being the Dark One and have no plans to change. Love is weakness, as is affection. I helped you last night because I was in the mood and I didn't want you out of commission."

"Right. If that was the case, then you wouldn't have run when I asked you why." He raised an eyebrow, silently daring her to come back with a lie.

"Be careful, Pirate." She growled. "You've yet to hold up your end of the deal, and you don't want me to grow tired of you too. You've seen what I do to things that hold no interest. I destroy them."

"Try it, Dark One! Take my damned heart!" He hissed, yanking open his jacket. "Go ahead! Prove them right. Prove me wrong! Show me that the old Emma is gone!"

"Gladly!" She lunged across the room, shoved her hand into his chest, wrapping her fingers around his heart. His face contorted in pain and his breathing became shallow.

Then she hesitated.

"Do it." He panted. "Rip it out."

Her jade eyes locked onto his sky blue ones.

And released her grip, pulling her hand out of his chest.

"What the hell, Swan?" He gasped, falling back against the door.

She blinked, eyes clearer than they had been in weeks. "Killian?" She asked in a small voice.

"Emma?" He straightened up and reached for her. "Is that you, darling?"

She nodded. "Killian, I'm so sorry. I don't know what's happening…" Her voice trailed off and her head dropped forward. When she looked back up, her expression was murderous.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" She bellowed. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't do anything, Dark One, except expose the truth. The old Emma is there!" He grinned, despite the burning in his chest.

"Oh, she's there all right. But not for long. Every time I do something evil, she gets just a little bit smaller. You just wait. You poked the bear, Pirate. And now everyone is going to pay."

She swirled a hand in front of her face, a cloud of smoke enveloping her once more. As always, when it cleared, she was gone.

He yanked his cell phone out of his pocket and tapped a contact. When the recipient answered, Killian spoke quickly. "I need your help. Please. I'll be at your shop momentarily."

 **A/N:** **Thanks for all the follows and favorites. You guys rock my world! Reviews get another update tomorrow!**


	6. Chapter 6

The small set of bells attached to the door jingled as it opened. Dust fell from a nearby shelf as the woman at the counter frowned into the sudden light.

"Belle." Killian said, closing the door behind him.

"Killian." She greeted him. "What's going on? You sounded so frantic in your call."

"Emma was waiting for me at the Jolly after the meeting this morning." He approached the counter and sighed, expecting the worst from her. To his surprise, when he glanced up to meet her eyes, there was no malice. She merely looked concerned.

"And what did she say?" Belle tapped a few keys on her laptop, shutting down the screen and closing it.

"She, ah…" He trailed off for a moment. "She attempted to rip my heart out and told me that every time she does something evil the old Emma becomes even more obsolete."

"But you're still here. What else happened?"

"When her hand was wrapped around my heart, something strange happened. I saw the old Emma. Somehow she broke through the Dark One. But then she was gone. She told me she was sorry…" He cleared his throat.

"Oh, Killian." She reached across the counter and lay her hand on his. Then she frowned at him. "You haven't been taking care of yourself. Okay, come on." She reached under the counter and pulled out her sweater.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to Granny's. I'm starving, and it looks like you haven't eaten in days." She rounded the counter and took his arm, steering him toward the door.

"No." He said, pulling out of her grip. "You heard everyone this morning. If I show my face there, I may end up at the bad end of a witch hunt. Anyway, I came to you for help, not a lunch date."

"Shut up and come on." She pulled her sweater on and took his arm again, forcefully pulling him out of the shop. "We are going to get something to eat and figure out how to help Emma."

That stopped all of Killian's protests. He was tired of hitting brick walls every time he tried to do something good and having an ally might be nice. They strolled slowly down the street and stopped in front of Granny's. As it was around noon, the place was full.

Belle gave him a reassuring smile and led him inside. The entire restaurant fell silent as they selected a table and sat down.

"I told you." He whispered, uncomfortably fiddling with a menu.

"They'll get over it." She responded, glaring around the restaurant. As if by some magic, the restaurant took their cue and started speaking again. "There." She flashed him another smile and scanned her menu.

Ruby stopped by to get their order, friendly as ever. After chatting with her for a few moments, Killian actually let himself pretend that everything was normal. Then she left to put the order in and he came crashing back to reality.

"I can't get it out of my mind, Belle." He sighed.

"I know. But maybe it's not a bad thing. Let's brainstorm. I know you're meeting with her because you love her. I tried to stay away from Rumple too, but I think you're like me, Killian. You want to help her because of your past. You feel that because you were the cause of someone else's loss that you have to fix it."

He opened his mouth to speak, but Belle cut him off.

"That's not a bad thing. It just means you have a lot of love and care to give. No matter how coarse you are on the outside." He nodded silently, looking down.

"However," she continued, "I also think that there's another reason." Ruby dropped off their drinks and he immediately took a sip of Hot Chocolate to hide his burning cheeks. "So I was right?"

He nodded again, taking another sip and promptly choking on it when Belle asked him to explain it. "Ah, I'm not sure it's something I should be talking about."

"That's your choice. I'm just looking to help you." She gave him a genuine smile and patted his hand.

He hesitated and leaned in, whispering across the table. "She said she is bored and wants a new…toy."

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth, hiding a giggle. "As much as I am willing to help, I didn't see that coming out of your mouth."

Ruby dropped off their plates silently, careful not to disturb the pair.

Killian sighed again. "You see my problem."

"Alright, so, facts. When did she tell you this?" She picked up her burger and took a bite.

"The day she destroyed the supermarket. She got me alone and told me."

"Hmm. And then she told you she was bored and wanted to play with you. Then you-?" She raised her eyebrow expectantly.

"Okay, first off, can I just say how difficult this is? Discussing this with the town librarian? Who just also happens to be my lifelong enemy's ex-wife?" She nodded and he continued. "I told her to meet me, told her that it would be on my terms, we had some alone time, she left, then you know the rest. She said I poked the bear, whatever that means." He picked up his fork and poked at his food.

"So, you gave in to her then?"

"Um, no."

"Oh good! Now, it sounds like something is keeping Emma from following through on her threat. The heart thing." She waved her hand. "We need to capitalize on it. We need to get the ball back in your court."

"But what's holding her back?" He actually took a bite, feeling the smallest bit better.

"You. It's obviously you." He frowned at her, confused. "You said the old Emma was in there. Obviously the old Emma and Dark One Emma share the same affection for you. The same love. You need to remind Emma of that."

"Yeah? How?" He took another bite of his lunch.

"You're going to poke the bear again. You're going to make the Dark One jealous."


	7. Chapter 7

Ruby plopped down onto the vinyl seat next to Belle. "Hi, sorry. I've been listening. Too good not to! I agree." She helped herself to one of her seatmate's fries.

"No." He pointed at the waitress. "No. Go away. It's bad enough that I'm talking to Belle about this. I sound like a teenage girl lamenting over some boy who won't give her the time of day. Now please. This is a private matter."

"No. You need help. Who else would know how to make a woman jealous?" She nudged Belle gently.

"It's a moot point. She's listening, I'm sure. She's got enchanted listening devices all over the place." He grumbled.

"Fair enough. I'm sure you'll figure out something. Have a good day, guys!" She hopped up to leave, but before she did, she squeezed Belle's shoulder and gave her a look. Belle nodded and threw a wink at Killian.

"I don't know what to tell you." She sighed. "I wish I could help. I guess the only thing you can do is give in. It's what I wish I had done. Maybe it's better to be isolated with the person you love."

They finished their meal, paid, and left the diner. As they walked back to the shop, she leaned in and whispered. "Is this safe?"

"Should be."

"Great. You're going to go out with Ruby and I tonight. You need to remind her exactly how she feels. Seeing you with someone else will do it. Underneath the rough Dark One exterior, she's still a woman. If I learned anything from being married to Rumple, possessions are everything. To Emma in her current state, you are hers. Threaten it." The passion in her voice startled Killian. "Let me help you do what I couldn't."

He nodded and threw an arm around her shoulders. "Thank you, Belle. It's nice to have someone who understands."

They reached the shop and Belle mouthed "follow my lead." He nodded and followed her through the door.

"Look," Belle said in her normal voice, "Will is sweet and everything, but it's not what I want anymore. And Rumple…he still hasn't woken up. I need a night out, and you're coming. No excuses."

"Alright. Maybe you're right. Emma can't be jealous of something that isn't hers anymore. Our relationship died when she absorbed the power."He winced as the words passed his lips, but his voice remained steady. Belle gave him a smile and squeezed his hand.

"Good. Rabbit Hole, eight tonight."

"See you tonight, Belle." He lifted her hand to his lips and softly kissed it.

He wandered down the street, not really heading in any direction. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he knew that Belle's plan just may work.

Without warning, Emma appeared in front of him. She grabbed his arms, and in the blink of an eye, they were on the front steps of an unfamiliar house.

"Get. In. The. House." The outrage in her voice was clear.

"I don't think so, Swan." He said, taking a step back. "I've got plans this evening. We can catch up another time."

"I don't think so, Pirate." Again, the scenery changed, and he found himself in a small kitchen. Emma stood in front of him. "Like it or not, you're mine."

He stormed out of the house before she had a chance to say anything else, and surprisingly, she didn't stop him.

Killian paused outside of the Rabbit Hole, staring at the double red doors. The bad feeling in his stomach had only intensified after his run-in with Emma. Sighing, he pulled open the doors and stepped inside.

By day, the Rabbit Hole was full of barflies and unsavory types, but at least it was quiet. By night, the music was loud, the bass up, and full of party types. Something that Killian was quite unfamiliar with.

He glanced around and saw the two women waving at him from a table off to the left. After sitting down, Ruby grinned at him. "You excited?"

"No. I'm worried about the two of you making the Dark One angry."

Ruby snorted. "You don't have anything to worry about. Rumple cast a spell on her heart ages ago, and Dark Ones don't mess with wolves." She howled quietly and he couldn't cracking a smile. "Now, come on." She took his hand and led him into the large group of people dancing to the beat of a loud pop song, leaving Belle nursing her drink with a smile.

The woman grinned at him. "So, this is not ballroom dancing. Look around you." He did as instructed, taking in the people around him. "Now, just feel the music and let it happen." She began to move her hips to the beat, arms raised above her head. After a few moments, Killian followed suit.

As the night went on, Killian began to relax and have a bit of fun. Ruby was the perfect dance partner; respectful yet flirty. Belle joined in every now and then, but spent most of her time talking to Will at their table.

The beat changed again and Ruby's eyes narrowed at something across the room. She leaned in, resting her face against his neck. "Don't turn around. Trust me." She pulled him by his hips until he was flush against her, swaying them to the music.

After a few moments, Killian felt himself being yanked backward. He spun around to face a seething Emma. However, she didn't immediately transport him again.

"Killian." She managed through her rage. "May I speak to you?"

He glanced at Ruby. "Thank you for the lovely evening. I hope to do it again soon." Turning back to Emma, he shrugged. "Yes, we can talk."

"Good." And they were gone from the Rabbit Hole, this time in an unfamiliar kitchen. A single votive candle sat on the table, casting a shadowy glow over the room.

"So, Swa-" His words were cut off by Emma descending on his lips. She twined her fingers in his hair, pulling his head back to give her better access to his neck. She kissed a line down to his collarbone, nipping at it, drawing a tortured moan from him.

He yanked her flush against him, as he'd been with Ruby at the club, and backed her toward the island. His hands slid down to cup her ass and lifted her onto the cold granite. He made quick work of the buttons on her leather blazer and threw it off somewhere to the left.

"You want me, Dark One?" He growled. "You've got me, at least for tonight."


	8. Chapter 8

"You want me, Dark One?" He growled. "You've got me, at least for tonight."

Her head fell back as he kissed his way down her neck, pausing to run his tongue along the delicate lace of her tank top before burying his face between her breasts. He felt her sharp fingernails dragging across his scalp and it sent a shiver down his spine.

He pulled back and moved his hook up to the lace, catching a bit of the thin fabric on the sharp tip. With a devilish grin, he yanked his arm back, effectively severing the top.

Underneath the top, Emma was bare. He made a low sound, deep in his throat, and moved his right hand up to cup her left breast. He hooked the hem of her pencil skirt and yanked it up, dragging the tip of his hook lightly across her thigh. He took her nipple into his mouth and rolled it between his teeth as he reached down to fumble with the buckle on his belt.

After a moment of fumbling, he finally got his belt undone. Emma moved to reach into his jeans but Killian caught her wrist. "No." He said, angrily. He pushed her roughly and she fell back onto her hands, the position giving him a perfect view of her breasts.

He shoved his jeans a few inches down, freeing his cock, but made no move to enter her. Instead, he dropped to his knees in front of her, stroking himself lightly. She felt his teeth and tongue on the inside of her thigh, teasing her to the point of insanity. By the time his tongue finally began to stroke her clit, she truly thought she was going to have to whip out the magic to make him do something.

The pirate talked a lot of game, but he did not lie. He drove her to the point of orgasm and carried her straight through. Killian didn't stand until he was sure she was finished, but when he did, he wasted no time positioning himself at her opening.

"Enjoy it, Dark One." He said, his blue eyes locking onto her green ones. "Because this is a one time thing."

He entered her with one hard thrust, burying himself to the hilt. She gasped, reaching up to grasp his shoulders, digging in her nails. Instead of deterring his roughness, it only fueled his fire. He began to thrust fiercely, peppering her breasts and neck with hot, open mouthed kisses.

Much to his dismay, he felt his own orgasm building after only a few minutes. He leaned in and whispered into Emma's ear, each word timed with a thrust.

"Come. Back. To. Me."

He fell forward, thrusting once more before emptying himself into Emma. It felt like hours before the fog cleared and he was able to pull away. After tucking himself away, he glanced over at her, hoping for something, anything, to signify the return of his beloved.

And found nothing.

She hopped down and straightened her skirt, not bothering to cover the top half of herself. "So, your little plan failed."

"Did it?" He raised an eyebrow. It felt like torture, speaking as if nothing had just happened between them.

"Yes. Weren't you supposed to be freezing me out?" She leaned against the island, crossing her arms.

"Aye, but that wasn't the goal for tonight."

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"You treated me with respect at the Rabbit Hole. You didn't carry me off like some petulant child. You waited for my permission. In short, love, I controlled this evening. Not you. Is the door through there?" He pointed to the hall and started off in that direction. "Have a good night, Swan."

As the screen door smacked shut behind him, he heard something shatter. He grinned and jogged down the path, feeling better than he had in weeks. It was a small victory, but damnit, it was still a victory.

As he neared Granny's, he saw a familiar face at one of the tables. Henry was seated at one of the patio tables, books spread across the metal top. A notebook sat at the center and he was scowling at it.

"What's the matter, lad?" He asked, plopping down in the seat next to the boy.

"Homework that I don't want to do." He flipped the notebook shut and dropped his pen onto the cover. "But homework keeps me busy and lately busy is good."

"Ah."

"Can I ask you something?" The boy stacked the books and shoved them into his ratty backpack.

"Sure." Killian said, taking a sip from his flask.

"I heard about what happened at that town meeting. Do you really think you can help my mom?"

He swallowed the rum and looked at Henry, lopsided grin. "I do."

"Thank you." He stood, slinging his bag into place. "See you around, Hook."

He watched the boy head down the street and once Henry was out of sight, Killian pulled out his phone and tapped Belle's name. When she answered, he described the night's events.

"Killian, that's fantastic!" She squealed, obviously a little tipsy.

"I thought so. Get home safe, Belle." He ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket, the grin returning.

He shoved himself up from the table and started the short walk to the Jolly. He still felt good about how things had gone with Emma. She'd listened to him and actually acted like a human being. On top of that, he'd finally been intimate with her.

He'd finally gotten to be with his Emma.

Sure, she was the Dark One, and he really shouldn't want her at all. But damnit, he did. However, Belle and Ruby had been right. She'd shown a human reaction tonight. Even if it was just jealousy. He hadn't exactly planned on sleeping with her, but it felt like the right thing to do, and he didn't regret it.

The Jolly loomed in the distance, partially shrouded in fog. "Hello, you big beautiful creature." He whispered.

And for the first time in weeks, he had hope.

Unfortunately, it was short-lived.

 **A/N: You guys are amazing. I know I say that all the time, but I really mean it. There's nothing better than waking up and seeing a bunch of notifications saying that so and so followed or favorited. Now, I know I suck at sex scenes. Sorry! But I have a lot planned for this story and I know you won't be disappointed! Reviews? Please? Pretty please with whipped cream and cinnamon on top?**


	9. Chapter 9

He woke with the dawn, the sun gently nudging him toward consciousness. As the morning went on, he performed all the necessary repairs on the Jolly and even cleaned up the cabin. About ten thirty, he heard footsteps on the ramp.

Henry called out to him as his head popped up over the railing. "Killian!"

"Hello, lad." Killian tossed his rag and wood polish into the bucket at his feet. "What can I do for you?"

"Look, I don't have a lot of time, but…Mom came to see me this morning." He fidgeted with the strap on his backpack.

"Emma did?" He grinned at the boy. Emma going to see her son had to be progress, right? 

"Yeah, she said that she wants us both to come see her tonight. At her house. Said you knew where it was?" The boy raised an eyebrow and Killian flushed a deep red.

"I do." He cleared his throat. "Why does she want to see us?"

"I don't know. She literally caught up with me as I was walking to school, told me what I told you, and left." Henry sighed. "I'll meet you back here after school and you can show me where she lives. That you somehow know about. See ya."

As the boy headed down the ramp, Killian jogged across the deck and into his cabin. As expected, Emma was lounging on his bed, yet again.

"So, Swan, is this a good visit or a bad visit?" He dropped into the chair across from his bed.

"Depends on your reaction." She said, examining her nails.

"To?"

"Well, last night was just ever so thrilling." Her eyes traveled from her nailbeds straight to his crotch. "But, it also meant I got what I wanted. You gave into me last night, Pirate. Now, I've got a new game in mind."

"What's that?" Her words stung like tiny daggers, and his voice betrayed it.

"Oh, don't look so wounded, dear. It's a simple game. I want you and Henry with me. Now that Regina is off doing her goody-goody things, I don't think it's a good idea for him to be with her anymore. David and Mary Margaret are no better."

"So, you want your son. Understandable. Why me?" He crossed his arms, scowling at her.

"Oh, you'll see tonight." She was up in a flash, moving across the room to straddle Killian. She wove her arms around his neck and leaned in to brush a soft kiss across his cheek. "You ever tell anyone I said this and I won't think twice about ripping out your poor little heart. Last night was incredible. You always have been."

She shoved up off of his lap and and threw him a villainous grin. "See you tonight."

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and something called a "text message" lit up the screen.

Belle: Granny's in 10.

Shrugging, he tied up a few loose ends on the Jolly and made the quick walk into town. She was already seated at one of the booths in the back, nursing a cup of tea.

He slid into the seat across from her and frowned as he got a good look at his new friend.

"Doing alright, Belle?" He asked quietly.

"Mmm. Might have had a little too much to drink last night." She took a sip of her tea and winced at the small sound it made when she placed the cup back on the saucer. He pulled the cup to himself and added a large helping of rum from his flask.

"There you go." He said, pushing the cup back to her. "You'll feel better soon."

They chatted for almost an hour before the subject of Emma came up.

"What do you think she's going to say tonight?" Belle asked, popping a fry into her mouth.

"I've got no idea. I don't know what to think. The fact that she wants Henry with her is terrifying enough. He's a good lad, with a good head on his shoulders, but it would still be a mistake for him to live with her. She's made it very obvious that she has no plans to change, as much as I'd like her to."

Belle put her hand on his arm. "Killian, please don't give up. Yes, she is still the Dark One, and of course it wasn't going to change overnight. But you made progress. That's incredible."

"I suppose. But this is getting ridiculous. I've got the feeling she's going to try and pull a dark version of what that Ice Bitch tried to do. Except instead of sisters she'd get a son and a whatever the hell I am." He took a sip from his flask.

"I promise you, it's going to be okay. You've got friends on your side this time. Now, have you spoken to Emma's parents?"

"Not since the meeting. They made it pretty clear how they feel." Killian sighed, leaning back against the cracked vinyl.

"You may want to reconsider. Sure, they're upset and unsure of how to deal with Emma, but so are you. They've got no idea how to react. This is a situation that calls for allies, not enemies."

"Yeah, alright." He tossed a few bills onto the table and stood. "Thanks, Belle. I'll go speak to David at the station. Somehow I feel like he'll be the easier one to convince."

He took a deep breath as he opened the door, entering the Storybrooke Sheriff's station. David sat at one of the desks on the far side of the room, engaged in conversation with Will Scarlet, who just happened to be in one of the cells. Strange. He made a mental note to check in with Belle.

When David turned to see Killian, his expression immediately became stony.

"Hook."

"David. May I speak with you?"

"Yeah." He turned to the cell and unlocked the door. "Will, drunk in public is bad. Please remember that. Next time I have to rescue you from Moe French, you'll be spending more than one night here." The thief gave an apologetic smile to the sheriff and bolted from the room. David spun to face Killian. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm going to tell you everything I've learned about your daughter in the past few days and you're going to listen. Enough is enough."

 **A/N: Please review? You guys have been great and I'm so happy you liked the last update. I work night shift tomorrow, so if you'd like…REVIEWS GET TWO CHAPTERS TOMORROW! By the way, FangirlPowersActivate on Tumblr. Check me out!**


	10. To My Favorite People On Earth

A note to Rubble's fans:

Don't worry! You've more than earned your two chapters tonight, and you'll get them. I clock in at 11 and will have the first one up by 1am.

I just wanted to take a moment to let you guys know how much your reviews mean to me. I've written stories for Doctor Who, Torchwood, and now Once Upon A Time, and I never imagined they'd be as popular as they are.

I love waking up, checking my email, and reading all of your nice words. Seeing the follows and favorites stack up is amazing. Rubble is quickly approaching 100 follows, and it's a fantastic feeling.

To those of you that are faithful readers, but are reading as guests, I urge you to make an account. I read as a guest for the longest time, but being able to follow a story or author really pays off. It saves you a lot of time. It only takes a minute to register, and it also allows me to send you a "thank you" message when you review!

If you have any suggestions or even something you'd like to see happen in Rubble, let me know! Send me a message. I'm always near my phone and respond quickly. I'd love to get to know my story's fans!

Thank you, amazing followers!

Eli 3


	11. Chapter 10

David nodded and led Killian into his office. After they were both seated, Killian took a deep breath and began.

"I know you don't approve of me seeing your daughter. Especially now that she's the Dark One and we are all supposed to be putting her at a distance. But, David, please try and understand that I love your daughter. Can you imagine what it would be like to be in this same situation with Mary Margaret?"

"That's different, Hook." The man crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.

"I don't think it is, mate. Much as you don't care to see it, Emma and I have something special. I love your daughter, and the thought of staying away from her is too much to bear. I want to help her and I have to have faith that I can." He looked down, uncomfortable with sharing his feelings so openly with another person.

"You really love her?" Came the soft reply.

"Aye."

"Tell me everything. Maybe I can help." The prince pulled a legal pad out of a drawer and grabbed a pen off his desk.

Killian explained every incident (save for the most private one) in great detail.

"So, what does she want with you and Henry?" He'd scribbled down a few notes during Killian's speech and glanced down at them.

"Well, she said she wants Henry back because he's her son and he belongs with her. Also, she doesn't think Regina is the best role model now that she's the Savior."

"Fair enough. I can see where she would think that in her current state of mind." David said, surprising the hell out of Killian.

"You're taking this pretty well." He said cautiously, fully expecting the Prince to explode.

David sighed and dropped the pen onto the pad before leaning back. "Killian, do you know why we didn't want you near our daughter? Before the Dark One change." The pirate shook his head. "It's because, in the Enchanted Forest, you have a bit of a reputation. Not just you. All pirates. What we want for our daughter is more than just fun. We want her to have love and happiness in her life."

"Well, before the change, she did love me as well." His voice was pained, thin.

"For the first time, I have faith in you, Hook." David grinned. "Now, first thing's first. I'm not crazy about Henry going over there tonight, but I think it could be more detrimental if he doesn't. So, it's up to you to keep him safe. Anything goes wrong, you get him out."

Killian nodded. "I won't let anything happen to the lad."

"I know you won't. Soon as you find out what her plan is, come to me." David checked his watch and stood. "Henry just got out of school. You might as well go meet him now. Good luck." He stuck out his hand and the other man shook it. "It's going to be fine. Oh, and thanks for telling me all of this."

Killian and Henry strolled up the path to Emma's new house. She sat on the porch steps, the definition of composure. Her black dress clung to her like a second skin, but in a very tasteful way. Her heels matched the dress and her ash blonde hair was up in an elegant chignon.

"Henry!" She said, leaping to her feet and rushing to the boy. He accepted a hug and pulled back after a few moments. "Killian." She nodded a greeting.

"Swan."

She wrapped an arm around Henry's shoulders and led him into the house with Killian following behind them like a puppy. As they entered the house, the aromas of meatloaf and bread filled their noses. The dining room table had obviously just been set, the bowls and platters steaming.

"Hungry?" She asked, an innocent smile crossing her face.

"Looks great, Mom." Henry said, his voice steady.

They sat and had what was almost a normal meal. They chatted about Henry's school and the Jolly. The boy's face fell when he heard that the hurricane had almost destroyed some of the sails.

"But, you know, I got lucky." Killian said, taking a sip of the wine Emma had poured. "Your mother showed up at the last moment and protected my dear ship."

"You did?" Henry asked, eyes wide.

"I did. That ship is too important to all of us to have it hurt." She shot Killian a look that he didn't quite understand, so he decided to table it for the time being.

They finished their meal and Emma cleared the table with a wave of her hand. "So, I asked you two to come tonight so that we could have a real discussion about the future." Neither of the men spoke, so she continued. "I know everyone has been told to keep me at arm's length. But, you are the two most important people in the world to me, and I think the three of us would make an excellent team."

"Team?" Asked Killian.

"Yes, team. A force to be reckoned with. The Dark One, the Author, and the most famous pirate in all the realms? Unstoppable."

"So…" Henry began. "You're trying to turn us into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants?" He frowned.

"Not evil. Dark." Her voice was cold, but she kept the same small smile in place.

"I don't know how I feel about that." The boy said.

Emma's expression turned stormy in an instant and Killian jumped in. "Emma, darling, just wait. We obviously need some time to think it over. That's all. It's a big decision. Henry's been raised to be good his whole life, and I've spent the past three years trying to do the same. So, of course we can't just make the decision in the blink of an eye." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Look, it's late. Let me get the lad home and we will decide very soon. Come visit me at the Jolly tomorrow and we can talk."

She sighed dramatically. "Fine. But you'd better have an answer for me tomorrow." She walked over to Henry and pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Henry. See you soon."

The boy was quiet all the way to Regina's, and he went inside without saying anything. Shrugging, the Pirate jogged down Main Street, desperate to get to the loft. The lights were off, but that did little to deter him. As he climbed the stairs, he saw a dark figure leaning against the Charmings' door.

"Hello, Killian." Emma said, stepping out of the shadows. "You might want to rethink what you're about to do. You really, REALLY don't want to make me angry."

 **A/N: So, I'm in the middle of my first overnight shift in a really creepy building. It's reminiscent of the Shining. I sit in a small cubby in a large stone lobby, right across from a gilded mirror. Soft classical piano music drifts from the hidden speakers 24/7. I am quite ready to scream. Anyway, anyone want to put up a review to help me get through the night? I could use it! Next update at 5am!**


	12. Chapter 11

"Swan? What are you doing?" He squinted at her in the darkness.

She shot like a bullet across the hallway, stopping right in front of him. "Did you forget," she hissed quietly, "that I have those lovely enchanted objects planted all over Storybrooke?"

Shit. He had forgotten. He had just been so wrapped up in his determination to make David understand how things were that everything else had just been pushed to the back of his mind.

"And?"

"And you're running to tell my daddy on me?" Her voice was sharp, but it didn't raise above a whisper.

"Know what, Swan? Yeah, I am. Because I've still got no idea what to do, but I think your family at least deserves to know that you aren't coming back. They love you and they love Henry, and they don't hate me. So I feel that they should know that there's a chance that their whole world is going to change. Now, either come inside with me or get out of my way!" He pushed past her, his shoulder knocking against hers. Without looking back, he raised his fist to the door and banged on it loudly, three times.

He heard a small whooshing sound and knew that she was gone. From inside the apartment, he heard thudding footsteps moving across the floor. David yanked open the door with a glare that could turn anyone to stone. Killian heard Neal crying and Mary Margaret shushing him.

"Pirate. Seriously? It couldn't wait until morning?"

"No, sorry." He swept into the apartment. Mary Margaret started down the steps, Neal tucked into the crook of her arm. "Sorry, Mary Margaret. I didn't mean to wake the baby, it's just that I absolutely had to talk to David. Please." She frowned but nodded and went back upstairs.

David shut the door and led the man to the island. "Speak quickly, Hook. I am exhausted and now so are Mary Margaret and Neal."

"Emma wants Henry and I to join her. She says we'd make some kind of team, and that's what she wants. A team. It's like what the Ice Bitch tried." His shaking fingers reached for his flask, and after a few tries was able to take a sip.

"Why are you so worked up?" David asked. "You just have to tell her no."

"David, that's just it. I'm terrified to see what happens if we say no. Henry wouldn't even speak to me on the way home, so I've got no idea where his thoughts are. But, tonight she was different than any other time we've interacted with her as the Dark One. Henry said he wasn't sure, and I swear I thought she was going to explode."

"What stopped her?" The prince's brow furrowed.

"I bought us some time by saying we needed to think. I'm supposed to have a decision to her by tonight."

"That doesn't give you much time." He pulled his phone out of his bathrobe and tapped the screen a few times before laying it on the counter. "With any luck, Henry is still awake."

"No, it doesn't, and thank you for checking. David, there's something else you should know." He pulled one of the barstools over and straddled it.

"Okay?" The other man did the same, eyeing Killian suspiciously from the opposite side of the bar.

"Emma was here when I arrived. She was waiting at the door, furiously angry. Told me I was running to tell on her. Which, I guess in some odd way I am." He planted his face on the granite and groaned. "What the bloody hell am I supposed to do?"

He felt a small hand rub slow circles on his back. "You'll figure it out, Killian." Mary Margaret said. "But it seems that Henry isn't answering, which means that he's gone to bed, and I think you should too. You're staying here. Emma's made it very clear that she won't step foot in this house, so you'll have a few hours of uninterrupted sleep."

"Oh, that's very kind of you, but I'm sure I'll be fine on the Jolly." He looked to David for backup but received the opposite.

"Actually, Hook, I think she's right. You said yourself you've been dealing with a lot and maybe the best way for you to deal with it is to get a good night's sleep. I'll keep my phone on and make sure Henry comes here in the morning to talk."

Mary Margaret pointed to the twin bed in the corner of the big room. "Go. Sleep. We are going to bed, and you'd better be here in the morning." She patted his shoulder and took her husband by the hand, leading him upstairs.

As much as he wanted to go back to the Jolly, he couldn't make himself. He absolutely hated it when people took care of him, and this situation was making him a bit itchy. Not unlike the bed in his cabin. He loved his ship more than anything, but the bed was not comfortable. Just looking over at the soft bed in the corner made his body ache and eyes grow heavy. The additional bonus of a few stress-free hours was attractive as well.

Why the hell not?

He walked over to the bed and sank down onto the side. After pulling his jacket, boots, and socks off, he glanced up to see David coming down the stairs. He tossed a wad of flannel at Killian.

"Pajamas. Don't sleep in your jeans. It's weird. And I will not have a half naked pirate under my roof. Goodnight."

Once the prince was out of sight, Killian changed into the pajamas and crawled under the covers.

Holy shit, it felt like heaven.

He rolled over onto his side and faced the brick wall. What the hell was he going to do about Emma? Or Henry? Obviously he couldn't control the boy, being of no relation. But, after all this time he'd grown fond of the lad and didn't want to see him go down a dark path. And what about him? He knew that if he just gave into her, he could have everything he'd ever wanted. Emma, his to love and have. But, he'd worked so damned hard to be good. Could he really just throw it away like that?

As he drifted off, his last coherent thought was of Emma, and how the room suddenly smelled like her perfume.

 **A/N: You guys have been so sweet! I'd like to specially thank Victoria Darlin for her kind reviews and messages that kept me going through tonight, as well as Wertman25. Thank you guys! As always, reviews get another chapter tonight!**


	13. Chapter 13

He woke to the sounds of David and Mary Margaret moving about upstairs, getting ready for the day. He rolled over, hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep, but opened his eyes when he felt something scratchy against his face.

A note lay on the pillow beneath him. Pristine white paper with an elegant script, one sentence.

 _Do you really think they can keep you safe?_

Killian heard David's boots clomping down the stairs and grabbed the note, shoving it into the pocket of the flannel bottoms. He nodded at the other man and climbed out of bed, gathering his clothes and heading for the bathroom down the hall.

After making sure to put the note in his own pants and getting dressed, he left the bathroom and made his way to the kitchen. David sat at the bar, reading the newspaper. Without looking up, he pushed a cup of coffee toward the pirate.

"Thanks, Mate." Killian said, taking a cautious sip and frowning when the boiling hot liquid scalded his tongue.

"Sure." David folded the paper and sat it down on the island. "Henry should be here any minute."

Mary Margaret breezed into the room and smiled at both of them, Neal bouncing on her hip. "Good morning! Killian, how did you sleep?"

"Great. I appreciate your hospitality." He took another sip to hide the awkward feeling that crept into his gut.

A knock on the door drew their attention and David went to open it. Henry slipped inside and pulled the door shut behind him.

"Hey, Hook." The boy said, making a bit of a face. Ah, so this was going to be just as uncomfortable for Henry as it was for him. Fantastic.

He lifted his hand in greeting and looked to his companions, unsure of how to begin.

"Come on, David. Let's take Neal to Granny's for breakfast. I'm craving some pancakes." He nodded and they were out the door in seconds, leaving the two in silence.

"So…" Henry said, kicking the side of the island gently, the rubber bouncing off with a thudding sound.

"Yeah." Killian said. "I know I'm supposed to be the adult here, but all I find myself wanting to do is ask you what the hell we should do."

The boy chuckled. "I know the feeling. I seriously just want to go hide somewhere, but I have a suspicion Mom would find me."

"Yeah, about that. I'm not sure I should tell you this, but I think it's important we understand each other in our current situation." Killian pulled the note from his pocket. "Your grandparents allowed me to stay here last night so that I may have a break from Emma hounding me. We all believed that it would work. I woke up and found this on the pillow next to me." He handed the note to Henry, whose eyes widened.

"Holy crap."

"Yeah, that's how I felt too." He took another sip of the coffee David had given him. "So, I guess this is when we are supposed to figure out what we're going to do. Emma is coming to the Jolly tonight and she wants an answer."

"Okay, well, here's what I think: That this Dark One thing is temporary. Have you tried True Love's kiss?" The boy reached for the cup and took a sip, made a face, and put it back down.

"Tried that and it didn't work. So either her feelings for me have changed or this isn't a normal curse." The hurt was evident in his voice, but thankfully Henry said nothing. "So we don't have any other options. Either we join her and give up everything we have here or we tell her no and we lose her forever and spend the rest of our lives in fear."

"I don't want to lose her." Henry said quietly. "I lived for the first ten years of my life without her."

"I know, lad." Killian rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

"I don't want to make this decision. This isn't fair of her. Why can't she try to control it? Why can't she try to live a normal life? Mr. Gold did it, and he was WAY further gone than she is."

"I think I can agree with that." The pirate said, dropping his hand.

"So, why don't we proposition her with that?" Henry asked. "Tell her that we will accept her as the Dark One and ally ourselves with her, but on our terms."

"It could work, possibly. But there's a chance that it won't. I gave her an ultimatum similar to that the day she blew up the store. It didn't end well."

"Well, let me say it then. She's the Dark One but she's still my mom. She'll listen to me." Henry pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. "I texted her and told her to meet us at your ship at 6pm."

"What's a text?" Killian asked, frowning.

"Seriously?" You've been in our world for years. It's time you learned how to work your phone." Henry held out his hand and Killian dropped the hunk of plastic and metal into the boy's palm.

An hour passed quickly, and by the time Henry left for school, Killian had a moderate understanding of how things worked.

He wondered if everybody knew that you could "google" something and find answers. It was incredible! He also wondered what else he could do with that magic device.

At about five, Killian was lounging on the deck of the Jolly, exploring his phone. Stupid device was like a magnet. He'd discovered the "weather app" that David had spoken of and it was incredible. It told him when the sun was going to rise and set, what the wind would be like, and how much humidity was going to be in the air. How did they know?

Either way, it was his new favorite thing. Pirates had a knack for predicting the weather, but it never hurt to have a second opinion.

A message popped up on his screen, and this time he knew to open it.

Henry: Mom is coming at 6. I'll be there soon.

Killian: Soundsgoodmate

Henry: You'll get the hang of it.

 **A/N: Guess who is working a surprise night shift, guys? Know what that means? Chapters! Chapters galore! Reviews to keep me going? I've been at work for two hours and have eight more to go! A little humor before a very dark scene. Love you all.**


	14. Chapter 14

The boy popped up on deck fifteen minutes later. Killian, in no hurry to get up, waved the boy over. He dropped his backpack and fell onto the seat next to the pirate.

"You ready?" Henry asked.

"As I can be." He replied. "Boy, I've got a bone to pick with you. Ever since you showed me this device's capabilities, I haven't put it down."

The boy chuckled and reached for the phone. "I'm about to blow your mind." He performed a few functions on the phone, entered some information, and handed it back to Killian. A red screen with white lettering on the display. "This is called Netflix. It's got thousands of movies and shows and things. Watch it only at night though, or we'll never see you again."

"Alright." He said, not really sure how that was supposed to blow his mind.

"Well, don't you two look cozy?" They heard from a few yards away.

Emma was reclined against the wheel of the ship, ankles crossed, the epitome of comfortability. She'd lost the all-black ensemble and resembled her old self. She now wore skinny jeans, knee high lace up boots, and a black sweater. Her hair, while still icy white, was loose, free from it's now customary bun.

"Mom." Henry smiled and went over to hug her. After a long embrace, she moved across the deck to Killian, who rose to meet her.

"Swan."

"Killian." She leaned in to kiss his cheek gently.

His eyes widened slightly. This was not what he'd been expecting. She seemed very calm, almost like the old Emma.

"So, Mom. We have an idea, and I'm not sure how well you're going to like it." Henry began.

She held up a hand. "I know. And I'm willing to consider it on a trial basis. Just tell me your terms."

Henry blinked, surprise clear on his face. "Okay. Well, Hook and I don't want to lose you. But we also can't be with you if you keep on the way you have been. I understand that the Dark One power is hard to ignore, but you have to work against it. Break the chain, Mom."

Killian jumped in. "Love, we don't want you to stop being the Dark One. We know that this is how you are and we accept you. But we will not live in fear."

"So, what exactly do you want me to do?" She asked.

"Be my mom." Henry said. "You can be the Dark One and a normal human being at the same time. Mr. Gold managed it. Not well, but he managed it. Stop avoiding people. Stop damaging the town. Be with us, really. If I decide I want a grilled cheese after school, I want to be able to go to Granny's with my mom."

"And it would be nice to be able to continue the semblance of a relationship we once had." Killian said gently. He could see the vein on her left temple throbbing, but she remained calm.

"Okay." She said. "I'll try."

 **A/N: So, I'm really sorry for the short chapter, but I figure short is better than none at all. I'm really feeling the effects of sleep deprivation and have been violently ill for the past few hours, so I am not able to write any more. I'm sorry, guys. I promise I'll put up more tonight! XOXO**


	15. Chapter 15

Killian reached for her hand and pressed it gently to his lips. "Thank you, love."

She nodded, vein still throbbing. Henry bit his lip and grabbed his backpack. "I'm going to head out. You guys look like you need to talk." He jogged across the deck, hopped over the side onto the ramp, and disappeared from sight.

Killian watched him go, a grin playing across his lips. The boy seemed like his old self. Like he felt all was right with the world again. It was nice to see after all this time.

He turned to face Emma and was met with an expression of boiling rage. "I don't appreciate being blind sided." She hissed.

His temper flared, matching hers. Everything had been fine, and now she had to go and ruin it! "And here I thought that the Dark One was aware of everything that happened in this town."

"Ever think the Dark One might have better things to do than listen to you? You may not appreciate all I have to offer now, but that doesn't mean others feel the same way." She cocked her head, raising an eyebrow.

The pirate's heart seemed to drop into his stomach. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. I'm leaving. See you when I decide to see you." She vanished in a puff of smoke.

He fell back onto the pile of pillows he'd stacked behind the wheel. Sighing, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened the messenger app.

Killian: Belleareyouthere?

Belle: Killian, I'm impressed. Though, try this: In between each word, press the button that looks like this: I_I

His eyes scanned the keyboard.

Killian: Is this better?

Belle: Yes! How are you?

Killian: Wish I was better. Henry and I decided that we would be with Emma if she tried to find a balance and have a normal life.

Belle: How did she take that?

Killian: Well, in front of Henry. She agreed to give it a try and he had a very compelling argument. Then he left and she blew up. She even hinted at the fact that she's seeing someone.

Belle: Don't worry about that last part. Dark One or not, I've seen how she looks at you. She is all talk. She wouldn't risk

Killian: I can only hope. Thanks.

Days passed without either of the men hearing from or seeing Emma. They'd both become antsy and sullen, but it'd united them even more. Henry started spending more time on the Jolly, even "crashing" there a night or two when he didn't want to go and face everyone's questions.

The Jolly quickly became a place of refuge for both of them. After the town heard about Emma protecting the ship with magic, they steered clear even thought it was obvious the protection spell was gone. Even David seemed to stay away, which was unusual.

Killian would have thought the alienation would bother him, but it was actually kind of nice. Ever since he'd discovered his feelings for Emma, he'd surrounded himself with the heroes. While they were usually very kind, they were also chatty and spent way too much time together. He was used to a very different type of life. Yes, he'd had crew members, but they didn't bother him unless absolutely necessary.

Milah had been a woman of very few words. She found things to keep herself busy, and potlucks and "family" dinners every other night wasn't on that list.

The first few times Killian had met Henry, the boy hadn't made much of an impression. In fact, he didn't honestly think much of him until the boy ripped out his own heart to help save magic. That took courage. The kind of courage Killian didn't think he had himself anymore.

Seeing the boy in a funk over his mother disappearing was heartbreaking, but it was nice to be able to do something about it. They went sailing, had meals from Granny's, watched Netflix, but most of all, they didn't talk about anything important.

Until the twelfth day of her disappearance.

Killian had come to expect the boy at about four every day. He knew something was up when six o'clock came and went with no sign of him.

At about six thirty, the boy appeared launched himself over the side of the ship, landing on the deck. He tossed his backpack onto the floorboards, more than a bit forcefully.

Killian opened his mouth to ask what had taken so long, but once he got a good look at the boy's face, the question changed. "Henry, who did that to you?"

Henry's bottom lip was split and a short gash ran across his left temple. "No one." He said, his voice hoarse.

"So, your face magically appeared like that?" Killian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that. Want to watch Netflix?" He asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Not in the mood, lad. Now, I'm not going off on some crusade to fight your battles for you, but I do want to know what happened."

"Why?" Henry winced as he spoke, each word irritating the split lip.

"Stop wasting time. Out with it or I'll poke you right in that lip." Killian jabbed the air in front of Henry and the boy chuckled, despite himself.

"Fine. I went to Granny's and had a run in with Leroy."

"Leroy?" Killian was stunned. Sure, the dwarf had a bad habit of running his mouth when he wasn't supposed to, but he'd never caused any real trouble.

"Yeah, but it's not what you think. He confronted me, told me that I'd better stay away from her or I'd end up like her. Then he left. I ran out after him and got so angry I kind of attacked him. He threw up an arm in front of himself and I ran into it. Then I fell. That's it. Really." Henry met his gaze, eyes clear.

"Alright." The pirate said levelly. "What are we watching today?"

The boy fell asleep on the ship again, and Killian felt bad leaving him. He knew the boy was more than capable of caring for himself, but he'd grown attached to Henry. Sue him.

He jogged down main street, headed straight for Granny's. The restaurant was closing and a lone figure was leaving the building.

Killian ducked into the alley behind the diner and waited. Once the figure turned into the alley, the pirate moved like lightning, fingers closing around the other person's throat and slamming them up against the brick wall.

"I think it's time we had a little chat, mate."

 **A/N: Hello, darlings. I'm so sorry to keep you hanging for so long. I got very sick and was unable to write. I do hope that you'll forgive me. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited. I'm on night shift again and am going to take a short nap. If I see some reviews when I wake up, I'll update again before the end of my shift! Thank you all!**


	16. Chapter 16

Leroy struggled against Killian's grip.

"Oh, I don't think so. You're going to listen." He released his grip just enough to give the other man a little slack before slamming him back into the brick wall. The man scowled but stopped struggling, either due to pain or reason. Either way, Killian didn't care. "Don't you think that boy's got enough to worry about without you going after him? Huh?! His mother was ripped from him and he's upset! What in the hell is wrong with you?"

Leroy, for the first time since they'd met, stayed silent.

"You know, for all the love you have for Snow White, I'm amazed that you would treat her grandchild that way. You should be ashamed of yourself." He released his hold and Leroy stumbled into the middle of the alley. Killian pointed a finger at him. "You stay away from Henry. Do you understand me? And if you speak of this to ANYONE at all, I'll do worse than sneak up on you in a dark alley."

The dwarf snorted. "You don't scare me anymore, Pirate. You're good now."

Killian saw red. His fist connected with Leroy's face before he even realized he'd moved. The man fell backward onto the pavement and looked up at him in shock.

"Yeah, well, I'm realizing my reason to be good is gone. I meant what I said. Tell anyone and it won't end well for you." He turned and calmly walked away, popping his collar against the chill of the night.

He reached his ship in record time. After climbing aboard and checking to see if Henry was still fast asleep in the cabin, which he was, Killian returned to his pillow nest on deck.

After hooking his phone into the "power bank" that Henry brought him every day, he settled against the pillows and closed his eyes.

Buzz buzz.

He cracked an eye and glared at his phone, certain that it was a signal of the oncoming angry mob. He could have ignored it, but he was pretty sure a heads up was a good thing.

Killian clicked through the screens until he found his messages and almost dropped the phone.

Emma: I'm not gone.

Hands shaking, he responded quickly.

Killian: Yeah? Then where are you?

He held his breath, desperate for her to appear in that despicable cloud of smoke. As much as he hurt, as angry as he was, he still needed to see her. But alas, no Emma, only another message.

Emma: I'm around.

Killian: It's too late for vagueness, Swan.

Emma: I can't come back right now. I just want you to know I approve.

Killian: Not that I need your approval, but what have I done to earn it?

Emma: You embraced the darkness.

Killian: No. I protected your son. That's it.

Emma: If you say so.

He tossed his phone down without answering, the anger rising back up. He tossed and turned for almost an hour before sending another message.

Killian: Have you really found someone else?

Emma: Maybe.

Killian sighed and spoke angrily into the night.

"Emma Swan. Emma Swan. Emma Swan."

He heard the quiet "puff" behind him and climbed to his feet, turning to face the Dark One. She was dressed as was her new norm. Black trench, black dress, black heels.

"Can I help you?" She asked, annoyed. "I was in the middle of something."

"You know what? Yes, you can. I waited for you, Swan. Henry and I both waited twelve days just to hear from you. You told that boy that you would try. And what do you do? You disappear and torment us. And right before you go off for twelve days, you tell me that you may have found someone else. I get that you're the Dark One. Congratulations, you've finally managed to drive it into my thick skull. But, you are still a mother to an exceptional child and you're treating him like you just don't care. So, Swan, I'm done. Leave me alone." He turned to go back to his pillows when he heard her speak quietly.

"Ask me where I've been."

He shook his head, not facing her. If he saw her face, he had no doubt that he'd take back the last bit of his speech. He doubted it would be above him to drop to his knees and grovel.

"Fine. Goodnight, Killian." He heard a small thud and the customary puff of the smoke cloud. He dropped to his pillows and sighed shakily. When he finally turned to look at the spot where Emma had stood, he noticed something glinting in the moonlight. The dagger.

He reached for it, certain that it was a trick. But once his fingers closed around the hilt, tears pricked the back of his eyes. The phone beside him buzzed again.

Emma: Have faith. The Dark One follows through on her promises to the best of her ability.

The next morning, Henry stumbled out of the cabin to find a positively cheerful Killian. He'd made the short journey to Granny's and come back with way too much breakfast food and coffee. It looked like he was planning to feed a small army.

He'd pulled up the MP3 player on his phone and was playing a song that Henry had loaded onto it, singing along off key.

"What's going on?" Henry asked.

"Nothing, lad. Just having a good day, I guess. How's your face?" He tapped his hands to the rhythm of the song on the wheel.

"Sore." The boy admitted.

"I can imagine. Looks worse today."

"Thanks." He answered, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

"Anytime, lad. So, you won't believe what news I have for you." Killian said excitedly, eager to share the story from last night with the boy.

"Henry? Hook?" They heard David call down from the dock. "Come on. I need you to come with me now."

Killian crossed the deck to look down at the prince. "Can't it wait?"

"No. Emma's back at it. And this time, she crossed a major line."

 **A/N: Reviews plllllllllease?**


	17. Chapter 17

They loaded themselves into the cruiser and rode in silence down the winding roads. They weren't headed to anywhere Killian had seen before. Suddenly, they turned onto Emma's street and he and the boy made eye contact, neither speaking.

David parked in front of the house, or rather, what was left of it. It looked exactly as the supermarket did. Partial walls left smoldering, part of the brick chimney still standing, boards laying left and right.

"Apparently this house was abandoned." David said, stepping out of the car and motioning for the two to follow. "But she's moved to residences. What if someone had been inside?"

Killian winced, but remained silent, unsure of what to say. He glanced at Henry and the boy seemed to be feeling the same way.

They spent the morning with David and when they finally split, Henry grudgingly decided that he should go home and spend some time with Regina. He understood why the boy didn't want to. It seemed that Robin Hood had all but moved into their home, and that had to be more than a little awkward. He and Emma had been together, but they certainly did not spend much alone time together.

Once aboard the Jolly, he decided to head down to his cabin. It had been days since he'd actually gotten any substantial amount of sleep, and after spending those nights on the pillows, his uncomfortable bed sounded heavenly.

He drew the curtains and shucked his clothes, not bothering to keep anything on with the boy gone. He wasn't used to wearing clothes while he slept, and it was nice to go back to his routine. The morning had been taxing and he was unconscious just moments after climbing into bed.

Hours later, he woke to a knock at the cabin door. He grabbed his jeans from the floor and pulled them on, not bothering to do up the fly. He was going to murder whoever it was that deemed it necessary to disturb him during the best sleep he'd had in weeks.

He yanked open the door and found no one there. Grumbling under his breath, he slammed the door and lost the jeans again before climbing into bed. He tossed and turned for a few minutes before it became obvious that sleep wasn't going to find him again.

Killian lay on his back in the darkness, mind playing over the events from the past few weeks. Unsurprisingly, he found himself reflecting on that night in Emma's kitchen. Despite being angry, he felt himself growing hard beneath the sheets.

His right hand strayed south, trailing over his thighs and settling on his stomach, just inches from his straining erection. He grabbed his phone and sent a message.

Killian: Is that pen still enchanted?

Emma: Yes.

Killian: Good.

He moved his hand down, wrapping it around his cock, letting out a soft moan as he stroked it lightly. His eyes slid closed, and he pictured Emma poised on that granite countertop. Killian continued to stroke, eventually adding speed and tightening his grip.

As he came, he couldn't prevent the words spilling from his lips. "Emma, fuck. Mmmm, Emma." After he finished, he lay in the darkness, not wanting to move.

Emma: Was that supposed to be symbolic of something?

Killian: I was rewarding you.

Emma: For?

Killian: I know why you blew up your house. You intend to keep your promise.

Emma: Anyway, why not just summon me with the dagger instead of putting on a little show for me?

Killian: Because, love, you're not out of the woods yet.

Killian entered Granny's late that night. He'd spent most of the day puttering around the Jolly, and as much as he inwardly complained about the heroes, he'd kind of missed their company after Henry left. The restaurant was pretty much deserted, except for Leroy.

The dwarf sat in the very last booth, nursing a beer. Killian stepped up to the bar and ordered another one before plopping down in the opposite seat, sliding the beer to the other man.

"Sorry, mate." Killian muttered. "I was having a really bad night and I took it out on you. Granted, I still think it was despicable to go after Henry like that, but I probably didn't need to be quite as forceful as I was in telling you so."

Leroy nodded. "Look, brother, I know everyone thinks I can't keep anything to myself, but…" He trailed off as he took a sip of his beer. "I didn't tell anyone what happened."

"I appreciate that."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before the bell above the door jingled. Killian looked up to see Robin enter and sit down at the bar. He nodded at Leroy and went over to Robin, sitting down on the stool next to him.

"What's the matter?" He asked, frowning.

"Long night." Robin said, downing the beer Granny sat in front of him without coming up for air.

"Trouble with the missus, then?" He pulled out his flask and took a sip.

"Not exactly. Henry is home, so I'm headed back to camp tonight. Has he been staying with you?"

"Aye."

"That's what I thought. Regina was none too pleased to find out. As much good as you've done and she still sees you as a bad influence." The thief chuckled and signaled to Granny for another drink.

"Ah, well, that's probably a good thing. Except, I think the boy is a worse influence on me than I could ever be on him. He showed me how to work the bloody phone and it's so damned hard to put it down."

Robin turned to him, eyes wide. "I know! Regina taught me how to use mine and there's just so much that we missed out on!"

They sat there for close to two hours, discussing their favorite bits and pieces until Granny shooed them out. After saying their goodbyes, Killian headed back to the ship.

He went directly into his cabin, eager to try and get some more sleep.

But when he opened the door and saw Emma lounging on his bed in nothing but her black heels and a piece of skimpy black lace, he knew that it wasn't going to happen.

 **A/N: Ask and you shall receive, my darlings. Reviews get another chapter in the morning!**


	18. Chapter 18

"Swan, nice to see you." He choked out.

"Mmm, and you too." She stood, placing her hands on her hips, purposely shoving her bosom up and out.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, sliding his coat from his arms and tossing it on the end of the bed. He rolled up the sleeves of his deep blue button down and settled into his desk chair, leaning back and looking over at here.

She sashayed over to the desk and propped herself up next to the chair. "Come on, you're not interested?"

"I didn't say that. Of course I'm interested in you, Swan. However, I'm a bit busy at the moment." He grabbed a battered paperback from the top drawer and waved it at Emma.

She raised an eyebrow and waved a hand in front of her, her black dress appearing over her body. "Since when do you read?"

"Since Henry found a book with me in it."

She plucked the book from his hands and chuckled at the title. "Peter Pan?" She handed it back to him.

"Aye. A bit dark for a children's book. Are parents TRYING to give their children night terrors?" He opened the book and glanced down at the page.

"I'll let myself out then." She sounded offended, but he didn't look up.

He heard the puff of smoke and waited a few moments before risking a glance around the room. He knew what she'd been doing and that was exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for. Now that she was going to try, he thought a little payback was in order.

Emma hadn't been a tease on purpose, he supposed. A lot had been going on since their first kiss in Neverland. She'd been constantly distracted by this villain and that curse. The only time he'd ever felt like anything was going to happen between the two of them was their single date. It had gone perfectly, and they were in a lovely romantic bubble until they reached her apartment and realized that he couldn't come inside and continue the romance. They could have gone to the Jolly, but they'd both known that her parents were waiting for her to come home.

She wanted him now. Somehow something in her brain had changed and now she thought that it was an appropriate time to actually be together. He wanted to think that maybe it was just because of their past, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she had an ulterior motive. Maybe she wanted to be with him because he was one of the heroes now and it would make people accept her? It had worked with Robin Hood and Regina, after all. People still feared her, but most understood that she would not hurt them.

However, he wouldn't be Hook if he didn't try to milk it a little. She'd spent years tormenting him and he intended to make her ache with want, just as he had.

He shook his head and flipped the pages until he found where he left off, desperate to rid the thoughts of Emma's possible betrayal from his head.

Killian woke with a start and winced as the crick in his neck became instantly worse. He'd fallen asleep in his desk chair, book in hand. He could count on one hand the number of times that had happened in the last hundred years. Funny.

The morning passed slowly and he finished the book. He headed into town about noon to find Henry and return it to him.

As expected, the boy was at Granny's in the first booth, nose buried in a book. Killian slid in across from him and pulled out "Peter Pan."

"So, Captain Hook is a villain til the very end?" Killian asked.

Henry marked his place and put his own book down.

"In that, yes. But it's only because they couldn't see your future. Did you like it?"

"It was different. Hard to see Pan painted as a hero." He said and handed the book back to Henry.

They chatted for a few minutes before Henry stood. "Sorry, I've got to go. Mom wants to spend some 'quality time' together." He rolled his eyes. "I'll stop by tomorrow. If you thought Peter Pan was weird, there's another movie you'll think is even better." The boy downed the last sip of his Hot Chocolate and headed out the door, almost bumping into Robin Hood on the way. The two avoided eye contact and ducked their heads as they passed.

Killian raised an eyebrow at Robin as he walked over. After plopping down in Henry's recently vacated seat, the thief sighed.

"What the hell happened?" Killian asked.

"Ah, so Henry was home last night." Robin said.

"Aye. You said you were going back to your camp for the night."

"Yeah, and I didn't. I went to Regina's. We thought the boy was asleep." Robin turned an unflattering shade of red and glanced down at the table.

"And he wasn't?" Killian cocked his head, working hard to hide his smile.

"No. He caught Regina and I in the hallway." His face was now more purple than red.

Killian howled with laughter, unable to control himself. This caught Ruby's attention and she went over to them, perching on the end of the pirate's side of the booth. He retold the story and soon she was doubled over with laughter as well.

"It's not funny." Robin mumbled. "And you can't tell Regina I told you. She's very private."

"We won't say anything." Ruby giggled. "So, what are you boys into tonight?"

"Dinner with Regina and Henry." Robin sighed, covering his face with his hands and sighing.

Killian leaned across the table and patted Robin's shoulder before turning to Ruby. "Not a thing. Apparently my new bunkmate has plans, so I'm wide open."

Ruby grinned. "I'm off at ten. Come to the Rabbit Hole again. It was a lot of fun last time. Even if it was to make Emma jealous. I'm trying to get someone else to notice me, and dancing with a tall, dark, and handsome man such as yourself just might catch his attention. You owe me." She hopped up and headed back to the bar. "I'll see you there!" She called over her shoulder.

Robin chuckled and picked up a menu. "Have fun."

Killian fidgeted with the collar of his blood red button down shirt. For some reason it just wouldn't set right. Frowning, he alternated the height of the actually buttoned buttons.

He'd finally gotten the shirt just right when his phone buzzed.

Emma: Hot date tonight?

Killian: You've got to stop with the listening in, Swan.

Emma: Didn't answer my question.

Killian: If you were listening, you'd know that it's just one friend helping another.

Emma: Sounds like fun.

Killian: What does?

Emma: Going out. Dancing. Especially the way Ruby does it.

He grinned at that. It actually worked. She had been jealous.

Killian: Aye. Should be a nice evening. Well, I'm heading out. Have a nice night, Swan.

He turned off the phone and tossed it onto the bed before grabbing his jacket and heading out. Ruby greeted him outside the red vinyl door with a warm hug.

"Thank you for doing this." She said, taking his hand and leading him inside. "If all goes well, it won't take long."

She led him directly onto the dance floor and he pulled her close, whispering in her ear. "Who is your target?"

Ruby nodded across the room at the bar. "Dr. Whale."

'Really? Him?' Killian thought, but said nothing. Instead, he once again lost himself in the music. After about an hour, Dr. Whale crooked a finger and Ruby and she leaned in to kiss the pirate's cheek.

"You're amazing, Killian." She squeezed his hand and sprinted across the dance floor, deftly dodging the other patrons.

He smiled after her and scouted out an empty table, sliding onto one of the stools. An overly perky waitress took his order and had his rum in less than a minute. She winked at him as he took a sip.

Huh. He'd forgotten what that was like.

"Drinking alone?" He heard from behind him. He looked up to see Emma settle onto the stool across from him. "That's no fun. What happened to your date?"

He raised an eyebrow over his drink as he took her in. Her icy blond hair was down, and instead of her black dress and trench, she wore skinny jeans and a black tank top. The black heels were still there. The waitress, who was still watching him, sidled up to the table as soon as he beckoned her. Emma ordered a vodka and cranberry and the waitress grudgingly headed to the bar, glaring daggers at her.

"I told you it wasn't a date. I was helping Ruby catch the eye of a suitor and it worked. She's currently attempting to get him to dance with her." He took another sip and gave Emma a careful smile. "So, why are you here?"

"I told you it sounded like fun. So I decided to come and see if it was." The waitress plopped the drink down in front of her and kept walking. "So far? Not so much." She took a sip and grimaced.

"Well, then. Let me change your mind." He stood and extended a hand. She smiled and took it, and they headed to the dance floor.

For the second time, Killian seemed more experienced in something than she did. He pulled her close, placed his hand and hook on her hips, and swayed them to the heavy beat of the song.

They kept it up for what seemed like hours before Emma told him that she had to go. As much as it disappointed him, he gathered his coat, paid the tab, and walked her to the door. "Goodnight, Swan." He said, turning and heading back to the Jolly.

Emma stalked through the forest, the darkness not giving her even the slightest of pauses. She reached the edge of the camp and scanned the faces sitting around the campfire. With a wave of her hand, all but one figure froze.

Arthur stood and looked around angrily. "What's the meaning of this?" He yelled into the darkness.

"Relax." She said, stepping into the light. "We need to have a little chat."

 **A/N: Working a double this evening, so wrote an extra long chapter. I'll be able to post again in the morning if I'm motivated! So please, read and review, my darlings!**


	19. Chapter 19

His eyes widened when he realized who wanted to speak to him.

"Stay away from me, Dark One." He said, pulling Excalibur from it's sheath and brandishing it.

She rolled her eyes and flicked her wrist, sending the sword across the clearing. It made a dull thudding sound as it hit a tree and fell to the ground. "Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Then what do you want? Why have you immobilized my subjects?" His eyes darted to Excalibur, but he made no move to retrieve it.

Emma moved closer, grabbing a stick and poking casually at the fire. "I want to know everything you know about what would happen if the sword and dagger joined."

"I don't know anything. Just that it would destroy the darkness. I don't know what would happen to the Dark One if it happens." He shrugged.

She hummed her agreement. "That'll be all." She disappeared in a puff of smoke, unfreezing the others.

Mr. Gold had moved into the Sorcerer's old home, now that the man had vacated it. Belle was happy he was alive, but he was very unsure of where they stood. She came to visit often, but made no romantic gestures. He also had no idea if she was still seeing Will. He was sure that he should ask her, but the idea of her telling him that it was over was just too much to bear.

Losing the dark powers had really softened him.

He was sitting in an armchair in front of the fire, a tablet on his lap, browsing news articles, when he heard the quiet puff behind him.

"Hello, Miss Swan." He said, not turning around. He flicked his index finger along the top of the screen, looking at the related articles.

"Gold." She said cautiously, stepping around the chair and facing him.

"What can I do for you at this late hour?" Mr. Gold asked, sounding bored.

"I need to know how to get rid of my darkness." She snatched the tablet and set it down on the small table next to his chair.

"Now, that was rude." He sighed and looked up at her, crossing his arms. "Look, Dearie, I don't know much. I thought Merlin was supposed to be the expert."

"Yeah, well, he's not around is he? You were the Dark One for years. You had to have done your research."

"I did, yes. But never on how to get rid of it. You forget, I loved the power. I needed it. I cherished it. I never wanted it to leave me." He sighed and stood, moving over to where she stood. "Sorry, Miss Swan. I can't help you. Now leave."

She glared but did as he asked, transporting to the only place she wanted to be at that moment.

Killian took care of his ship like it was his own child. The planks gleamed beneath her feet as she appeared on the deck. She moved across the ship silently, pausing at the cabin door. She could hear him snoring lightly on the other side. Emma took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

He groaned at the knocking on his door. Why couldn't people understand that even pirates needed their sleep?

"What?" He yelled at the door, refusing to get out of bed.

The door opened for a moment and someone slipped inside.

"Henry, mate, if you're trying to hide from Regina and Robin here, you're sleeping on the pillows tonight. I'm not moving this time." He grumbled, rolling over and facing the wall.

"Killian?" Emma asked quietly.

He bolted upright. "Emma? What's wrong?"

She looked down. "Nothing. I just…Don't feel like being alone right now."

"So wait." He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to wake up. "The Dark One is waking me up in the middle of the night to cuddle?"

"I'm not the Dark One tonight. I'm just Emma and I could really use some company, so could you scoot over please?"

"Yeah, alright." He scooted to the far side of the bed and patted the spot next to him. "Come on."

She pulled off her coat and heels, leaving her dress on, and climbed into the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hairline. "Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head in the darkness and he shrugged.

"So, Henry's been spending a lot of time here?" She asked after a while.

"Aye. Damn near every night."

"I don't know how I feel about that." She smiled, despite her crappy mood.

"Don't worry." His voice was gravelly with sleep. "Like I told Robin, he's a worse influence on me than I am on him."

She smiled and curled up against his chest, staying quiet and letting him fall back asleep. As she felt the rise and fall of his chest, it lulled her into an almost trance-like state.

When Killian woke, he was hyperaware of the body snugly nestled against his. Or rather, a certain part of him was. He deftly moved his groin back a few inches and smiled down at her. "You're still here." He said.

"I am. But I do need to be going." She crawled out of the bed and pulled on her coat and heels. "Thank you, Killian. I'll be in touch soon."

He nodded and watched her walk out the door for once. When it closed behind her, he relaxed against the pillows. When he'd fallen asleep that night, he was sure he would wake up and realize that he'd dreamed Emma's visit.

He was really starting to doubt that she had ulterior motives. They'd been intimate since she became the Dark One, but last night she danced with him. She appeared in a public place, dressed like the old her, and spent the evening with him. That had to mean something, right?

He found his phone and powered it up for the first time since he left for the club.

Did normal people have sixteen text messages, twelve calls, and eight voicemails waiting for them when they checked their phones?

After scrolling through, he saw they were all from David.

The most recent read:

David: Hook, answer your damn phone! Is Henry with you? He didn't come home last night and we haven't seen him. His phone is off. Where is he?

 **A/N: Surprise, my darlings! Bonus chapter. Read and review gets another one in the morning!**


	20. Chapter 20

He frowned at his phone and hopped out of bed, pulling on his jeans and a black t-shirt. He climbed the stairs to the hollow behind the wheel and checked the pillow nest. Nothing.

Killian: Sorry, mate. I was asleep. He's not here.

David: I'll be there in 5.

Killian finished dressing and was waiting at the docks when the cruiser came into view. He climbed into the front seat and David sped away. The prince was antsy, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Mate, we'll find him. I'm sure that the boy's just run off somewhere. You haven't sounded the alarm have you?"

"No. Just you, Mary Margaret, and Regina know." David said, gripping the wheel.

David took him to the loft, where Regina and Mary Margaret were waiting. They discussed possible leads and finally, Killian said what he knew no one wanted to hear. "I'm calling Emma."

Despite their protests, he pulled out his phone and pressed the "Emma" button. She answered on the second ring.

"Yes?"

"Swan, have you seen Henry?" He glanced at Mary Margaret and gave her a small, reassuring smile.

"No. I'll be there in a moment." She disconnected the call and less than a minute later, they heard a knock at the door.

David crossed the room and opened the door, eyeing his daughter warily. "Emma."

She nodded at him and stepped past him, moving over to Killian. "What's going on?"

"No one's seen or heard from Henry since last night. We had dinner and he said he was going to Granny's. Then he didn't come home." Regina said.

"Did anything happen to upset him?" Emma asked.

"Not last night, but…" Regina trailed off and blushed. "The night before he might have walked in on me and Robin."

Somehow when she told it it wasn't funny. Killian made a mental note to tell Robin that later.

"Okay. So maybe he's still upset and blowing off steam." Emma said, glancing around the room. "How did he act at dinner?"

"Quiet, I'll admit. But I thought it was because Robin was there." The entire room groaned. "What?"

"A teenager walked in on his mother having sex with her boyfriend and then had to have dinner with him the next night?" Mary Margaret said.

"Crap." Regina muttered.

"It's alright." Emma said gently. "Okay, where have you guys looked?"

David listed all of the places they'd searched and the people they'd called. All dead ends.

"What about Violet?" She asked.

"Who?" Regina responded, obviously not liking the fact that even though Emma had been gone for weeks, she still knew more about Henry than she did.

"Don't get defensive, Regina. I keep tabs on him from a distance, that's all. Violet. The girl he's been interested in. She's from Camelot. I say check the woods."

Mary Margaret nodded. "That's a good idea. Regina, can you have Robin search the woods?"

Robin Hood crept through camp, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. The Merry Men stayed out of Camelot's camp, and they stayed out of the Merry Men's. Him sneaking around like this could mess with that agreement, and he really didn't want to do that. However, he knew it was important that they find Henry and this was the best lead they had.

After searching through the whole camp, he came up empty. He was about to shoot Regina a text and tell her so when something blue at the edge of the perimeter caught his eye. As he moved closer, he saw the last thing he expected.

Henry and Violet lay on a thick blue blanket under a tree, both sound asleep. Henry's arms were wrapped protectively around her and she was nestled against his chest. Both were clothed, thankfully.

God, he REALLY didn't want to wake the boy up.

He moved closer and nudged Henry's shoulder with the toe of his boot. When the boy's eyes snapped open, Robin held a finger to his own lips and beckoned for Henry to follow him.

He untangled himself from Violet gently, not waking her, and cautiously followed Robin back into the trees, out of sight.

"You know your mothers have been worried sick." He started, hating himself for the lecture that threatened to break free from his lips.

"Both of them?" His eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes."

"That's weird. Look, before you start telling me everything I did wrong, just listen. I needed to get away, so I went to Killian's ship and the door was open a crack. I saw my mom in bed with him, so I left. I mean, I get it. But still. I didn't want to be on the same ship if it was happening." He shot Robin a knowing look. "So I started walking and ended up in the Camelot camp. I was sitting by the fire and Violet came out. She and I got a blanket and fell asleep looking at the stars. End of story."

Robin nodded. "Alright. Fair enough. Go back to her. It would be a shame if she thought you walked out during the night."

"Wait, really? You're not going to drag me back to my moms?"

"No. But you are going to have to face them at some point." He clapped the boy on the shoulder and turned to walk away.

"Thanks, Robin." Henry said.

Regina ended the call and glanced around the room. "Robin found Henry. Emma was right. Apparently he was having a bad night and Violet helped him through it. Whatever that means." She walked over to Emma. "Thank you. I would never have thought to look in the Camelot camp."

"Of course. I may be the Dark One, but he's still my son. I was harshly reminded of that quite recently. I'm going to do better, and not just with Henry. I don't want the darkness anymore, and I'm going to do everything I can to get rid of it. In the meantime, I'm going to fight it." She reached for Killian's hand and squeezed it gently.

Mary Margaret reached out and yanked Emma to her, hugging her tightly. "Emma." She whispered. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes." She pulled away and looked over at David, who didn't look convinced. "That house I blew up? The gray one? I'd been living there since we got back from Camelot."

"So, why did you blow it up?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Because I had something in the basement that helped keep me on my destructive path. Rather than pass it on to someone else, I destroyed it."

About an hour later, the group split and went their separate ways. Killian and Emma strolled down Main Street toward the Jolly. He had a few things to take care of and she was going to try and go talk to Henry. When they reached the docks, he pulled her close, kissing her gently.

"I'm proud of you, Swan." He murmured.

"Shut up." She chuckled. "Go take care of your ship, Pirate."

 **A/N: Three chapters in one go. Hope that makes up for me not posting for a few days** **J** **I'm working again on Tuesday, so I'll have more up then. Don't worry, my darlings. While this was a fluffy chapter, we all know that things are never easy in Storybrooke. Prepare to buckle down for a few dark chapters. Read and review pleeeeeeease?**


	21. Chapter 21

He woke to his phone buzzing. Growling, he rolled over and grabbed it from the trunk next to his bed. Didn't people know that he actually needed sleep? Sure, he was a pirate, but once he stated spending time with the heroes, he'd developed reliable sleep patterns and became grumpy when they were messed with.

Emma: Hey, don't freak out. I need to disappear for a few days.

Killian: Should I ask why?

Emma: Probably not.

Killian: Will you be safe?

Emma: I'll talk to you when I get back. Watch Henry, okay?

Frowning, he dialed her number, but after two rings it went to her voicemail. He tried another three times before giving up. It worried him that she wouldn't answer, but if she'd made up her mind to avoid him, she would. He just hoped that she wasn't doing anything stupid. Swan could take care of herself, but she had a really bad habit of not asking for help when she needed it.

He rolled over on his side, staring out the cabin's bay window. He'd left the curtain open and moonlight flooded the entire room. It was normally very peaceful, but as he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't shake the bad feeling he had.

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The first day passed quickly. Henry stopped by after school and introduced him to the movie Hook. The boy had laughed hysterically at the look on Killian's face every time the movie version of himself did something stupid.

"He's ruining my image!" Killian had yelped, eyes glued to the screen.

The second day passed more slowly. As did the third, fourth fifth, and so on. A week passed with no word from her. He didn't know what was going on, but he felt as if he was going insane with worry.

After two weeks he and Henry were both staying on the Jolly. Regina wasn't thrilled, but she understood that he and Killian had a bond that none of them could understand. Henry promised to come home once Emma came back, but he wanted to be there when she did. Killian had remodeled the brig into a makeshift bedroom for the lad after a week of sleeping on the pillows resulted in a backache he didn't think would ever completely go away.

Mary Margaret started bringing them supposed leftovers each night, but Killian was pretty sure that she was just cooking for them. David stopped by every morning to bring the pirate a cup of coffee and take Henry to school.

It was nice to have everyone helping out, but he just wanted Emma back. Every day apart from her, not knowing if she was dead or stranded or hurt, was pure torture. It helped to have the boy around, and he knew he had moved onto the Jolly because he was just as worried, but not just about Emma.

Exactly one month from the night Emma disappeared, Killian was once again woken by the sound of his phone buzzing. He grabbed it instantly, his hands fumbling in his hurry to turn on the screen.

Emma: I'm coming home.

Killian: Emma! I've been so worried! Where are you?

Emma: Doesn't matter. I'll be home in a few days. I have to go.

Killian: Be careful, please.

He got no response and raced to the brig to tell Henry. The lad was sprawled out across the bed, dead to the world. He threw open the grate and called down to him.

"Henry! I heard from Emma."

The boy was up in a flash, bolting upright. "You did? What did she say?"

"Said she was coming home." He climbed down the ladder. "She send you anything?"

Henry checked his phone. "Yeah. She said she loves me and will see me soon." He smiled and turned up the ringer on his phone. "Thanks for waking me up."

"Of course, lad." Killian said, patting the boy on the shoulder awkwardly and climbed up the ladder, replacing the grate and walking back to his cabin. He crawled back into bed, a huge smile on his face as he fell back asleep.

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On the thirty-third day since Emma left, Killian decided that it was time to stop moping. He texted Robin and headed into the woods to meet him, sure that some fresh air and a change of scenery would do him good. They spent the day exploring the area and even got in a swordfight, though Robin was absolute rubbish with anything but a bow.

He didn't leave until that evening, and only then because Regina showed up, all flustered and excited by something she'd found in her vault.

The cool air nipped at his face and neck as he strolled down Main Street, eager to see what Mary Margaret had brought for them. Henry was due to get back to the ship later that night. Belle had requested that he help her with a few things around the library and he'd agreed, probably thinking the same thing about a change of scenery that Killian had.

He pushed open the door to his cabin and stopped short, dropping the bag of food on the floor.

"Emma." He managed. "What happened?"

She was stretched out on his bed, looking like she'd been through a war. Her hair, face, and clothes were filthy and she was covered head to toe with scratches.

More shocking than that, however, was her hair. It had returned to it's original honey blonde.

She looked up, trying hard to focus her eyes on him.

"Killian." She smiled shakily. "I did it. I got rid of the darkness."

Before he could respond to her, her eyes closed and she fell prone against the mattress. He rushed to her side, shaking her gently. "Emma? Emma!" When she didn't react, he slapped her cheeks gently. Still nothing. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number he never thought he would.

"Regina? Emma's back and she's passed out. Please help. We're on the Jolly."

He hung up and paced the small cabin, waiting for her to arrive. When she did, he ushered her inside and she moved to examine Emma.

"Hook?" Regina asked hesitantly. "What did Emma say? Whatever this is…It is not good."

 **A/N: So, I hate to say it, but this story is coming to an end soon. But don't fret! I won't abandon you! I am opening my inbox for suggestions. What would you like my next story to be about? Review and I'll post again tomorrow** **J**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: If it makes you guys feel any better, the idea of ending Rubble kills me. It's been so much fun to write, and I've loved the interaction I've had with all of you. But don't worry, it's not ending with this chapter.**

His brow furrowed. "She said that she did it. Got the dark magic out." Glancing toward Emma, his scowl turned to a look of pure fear. Her skin had paled and she'd broken out in a light sweat.

"She's getting worse." Reginia said, pushing Killian. "Move. Go stand over there and keep out of my way." He did as she asked, afraid of what might happen otherwise. She moved her hand through the air over Emma's body and a glimmering light covered her for a moment. "There. Preservation spell. I'd say it'll last a week." She stepped back, sighing, before turning to Killian. "She didn't say anything else?"

"No." He shook his head and sank into his desk chair, closing his eyes. "She didn't say anything else. This should be a joyous occasion. She's back, she's home. But obviously she wasn't safe." He scrubbed his hands across his face.

"Look, Pirate." Regina said, picking up her cell phone and keys. "We'll figure it out. Spending all this time with the heroes has taught me that every problem has a solution. They haven't faced anything that they couldn't fix so far. Somehow I think that your Miss Swan won't be any different." She headed to the door and patted his shoulder awkwardly on the way out.

He heard the door close and the tears that had been threatening to fall since he got home finally did. He crossed the room and dropped down to the side of the bed next to Emma. He took her hand and pressed it to his face.

"You said you'd come back." He sobbed. "This doesn't count. You're back to the old you, hair and all. You're even in my bed. But, it's like you're not here. If you die, Emma…I can't even think of it." He was so caught up in his speech that he didn't hear the door open. He felt a cool hand rest lightly on his shoulder. It guided him up and turned him around.

Mary Margaret wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Come on." She said, leading him toward the door. "You need some air." She walked him out to the deck and deposited him on his pillow nest. "I'm going to look over Emma. Henry will be here soon. Stay." She gave him a stern look and turned, heading back down the steps.

He fell back against the pillows, dazed, eyes locked on the stars above him. After a while, he heard someone clear their throat from a few yards away. Killian looked up to see David at the top of the steps.

The man moved closer and shook a large bottle of something. "Rum." He said, shrugging. "I didn't know what else to do." He dropped to the pillows next to Killian and unscrewed the cap, taking a sip before handing the bottle to the other man.

Killian took a hearty gulp and handed the bottle back, sighing.

"Hook." David said. "It'll be alright. I'm just as worried as you are. We all are. Somehow we will figure this out."

He grunted in response.

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The night passed agonizingly slowly. Emma's family stayed with him for most of the night. Henry was just as despondent as Killian was. Both of them hiding out in their respective nests, neither one having the courage to go check on Emma.

Thankfully, Mary Margaret understood that and set up a system so that she wouldn't be alone. Even Regina offered to pitch in. Becoming the Savior had really softened her, whether she'd like to admit it or not.

Finally, morning came and Killian still felt horrendous. The sky seemed too blue, the water too glassy, even the chirping birds drove him crazy.

Regina was down in his cabin watching over Emma. Killian knocked on the door quietly before stepping inside. "Any change?" He asked.

"No, but I'm working on it." She held up an old book. "Combing through my mother's old books for anything I can find on the Dark One."

He nodded. "I'm going into town for a while. I need to get out. Going to take Henry with me. Okay?"

"Sure. Probably a good idea." She glanced back down at her book.

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It had taken a while, but he convinced the boy to come with him. They had a quiet lunch at Granny's and Henry took off afterward to go visit Violet at the Camelot camp.

Somehow Killian ended up outside of Mr. Gold's new home. He stood by the front gate for almost twenty minutes before the man opened the front door and called out to him.

"Are you here to talk to me or just glare?" He stepped onto the front porch and beckoned to the pirate. "Come on."

Killian trudged up the walk and followed his old nemesis into his home.

Mr. Gold led him into the den, sitting in an armchair and motioning for Killian to sit in the one opposite him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He asked.

"Emma came back last night." Killian said, glancing down at the floor, trying to seem interested in the grain of the wood.

"And you're here instead of having a reunion?" He frowned. "Forgive my confusion, but I am a bit out of the loop now."

Killian snorted. "I imagine so. She came back, looking like her old self. Except she's passed out on my bed looking like death and slowly creeping toward it. She said she got the darkness out of her."

Mr. Gold's eyes widened and his face paled. "Pirate, if what you're saying is true, Emma could be in a lot of trouble. There are ways to rid yourself of the darkness, yes. But they all come at a horrible price."

"What did she do?" Killian whispered.

"I don't know, but we need to find out. Immediately." Gold stood and moved across the room to grab his suit jacket. "This is very bad, Pirate. You should have gotten me sooner."

 **A/N: Reviews? Please? Working another night shift so as always, reviews get a morning chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23

Mr. Gold's black Lincoln sped down Main Street, double the legal speed. The first half of the ride was silent, but eventually he broke the silence.

"There are a number of ways Miss Swan could have done this. To determine which method she employed, let me ask you this: Did she have possession of the dagger?"

Killian glanced down at his lap and sighed. "No. She gave it to me before she left."

The engine revved and the car sped up, slamming Killian against the back of his seat. Mr. Gold's fingers gripped the leather steering wheel, his eyes focused on the road.

"Is that bad?" The pirate asked.

"Well, it's not good." The other man answered. "If she tried to cleave herself from the dagger, as I did, then her state is only temporary. She would just be in a comatose state until her heart and the rest of her body heal."

"But you don't think that's the case?"

"To perform the spell to cleave the Dark One from their dagger, the dagger has to be in their possession. So, as you say it was in your possession, no I don't think it's what she did."

They arrived at the docks in record time. Killian jumped out of the car and ran toward the ship, with Mr. Gold following closely behind. As he led the other man to where his beloved lay prone, he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony, despite the dire situation. He'd spent so much time protecting himself from this man. After what had happened with Milah, he'd sworn to himself that Gold would never catch him in a vulnerable position again. Now, not only was he asking for help, he was leading him right into the belly of the beast.

They reached the door and Killian knocked gently before pushing it open. Henry was curled up in Killian's desk chair, fast asleep. Instead of waking him, Killian pulled a blanket from the end of the bed and draped it over him. He glanced over at Mr. Gold, who had paused in the doorway, and motioned for him to move closer to the bed.

He did so, examining Emma closely. The man seemed frustrated as he did so.

Turning to face Killian, he said. "I don't miss the power. I do, however, miss the magic." He sighed. "The preservation spell. That Regina's?" At Killian's nod, Gold continued. "Do you remember what Mary Margaret and David did to Lillith?"

"Aye."

"They completely took the darkness out of your Miss Swan and transferred it to another human being. That's how it is with all darkness. Darkness doesn't just disappear. Just like when I spliced myself from the dagger, my darkness left my body and went out into the world. Except, it can't last more than a few minutes without a vessel. If it gets desperate enough, it will latch onto the first living thing it can find." The man fell silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "So, if Emma didn't try to release herself from the dagger, the only other way that she could have gotten rid of the darkness is by channeling it into someone else."

"Emma wouldn't do that." Killian hissed angrily.

"Human beings are animals, Hook." Mr. Gold said, his tone making it obvious that he didn't like what he was saying. "When cornered, we take extreme measures to get out of said corner. If she was being pressured to let go of the power, it could have gone one of two ways. One, she could have gone off the deep end and destroyed the entire town in some insane example of power."

"And two?" The other man asked quietly.

"She could have gone to extreme measures to get out of that corner, as I said."

"What do we do?" Killian looked down at Emma, angry tears welling in his eyes.

"We need to find out where she sent the darkness. If we can find it, we can kill it and potentially rid us of the Dark Magic once and for all." He bit his lower lip and thought for a moment. "Where did she disappear to?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me." He sighed, swiping at the tears.

"Alright. Well, she's not going to fade today. Let me look around the shop and see what I can find that might help us track that person or thing down." He turned toward the door and paused. "Ah, perhaps you can do me a favor in the meantime?"

Killian cocked an eyebrow, not wanting to do anything for the man but knowing full well that he owed him plenty.

"Will you take Belle to lunch while I search the shop?"

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Mr. Gold drove the Lincoln down the street decidedly more slowly on the way back. Killian hated to admit it, but he felt a bit relieved knowing that he had help beyond the heroes. Maybe someone with an intimate knowledge of dark magic would be helpful. Regina knew of Dark Magic, being trained by Gold and all, but she'd lost her touch.

As he'd said, she'd done too much good.

"What's that saying, trouble in paradise?" He asked Gold, trying to lighten the mood. He felt that if things stayed the way they were, his head was going to explode. He needed to be strong for Emma and Henry. He knew that her family was going to look to him for support, and they'd already had to take care of him once.

It was time to be a man.

"Not that it's any of your business, but there's no paradise to have trouble in." He grumbled. "Belle made it clear last night that she's moved on and I plan to honor it."

"Tough break, mate." Killian said. "So, you want me to distract Belle while you rifle around the shop because you don't want to see her?"

"Something like that." Mr. Gold said through clenched teeth.

They pulled up in front of the pawn shop and Killian hopped out. After waving to his driver, he ducked inside, not looking forward to explaining the recent events to Belle.

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As much as he enjoyed seeing Belle, all he could think about was getting back to Emma. Maybe he'd read to her, as Mary Margaret had done with David. It had woken him up. Hell, they were even in the storybook now. He could read them their own story.

After an hour, his phone buzzed.

Gold: Meet me at the docks. I found out where she sent the darkness. Hurry.

Killian jumped up, apologized profusely, and dashed out of the restaurant and down the street. By the time he made it to the ship, he was drenched in sweat and panting like a dog. Mr. Gold's black Lincoln was parked at the end of the docks, the man himself leaning back against the hood.

"You know who it is?" Killian asked.

He nodded. "I'm sorry. You're not going to like it."

 **A/N: You guys are awesome. Really, you are. I'm plotting out my next story now. But I am open to one shot prompts. So, lemme have em!**


	24. Chapter 24

He waited, cocking an eyebrow at Mr. Gold. He couldn't decide if the man was holding him in suspense to irritate him or if he genuinely didn't want to tell him.

The man sighed. "Do you remember the woman you met in the Enchanted Forest? The one Emma was about to kill?"

Killian nodded, furrowing his brow.

"Her name is Merida. When Emma kidnapped me, she took her heart and ordered her to train me. Make me a hero. She did as she was told for a few days, then decided to let me go. I promised to help her escape as well."

"Did you?" The pirate asked.

"No. I tried, but…There was no way. Emma kept the heart hidden and I couldn't find it. She won't cross Will, so I know Belle is safe. But, every day, I expect something to happen."

"So, this Merida, that's who Emma sacrificed?"

"Yes." Mr. Gold replied, in a voice barely above a whisper.

Killian shook his head angrily. "And you're sure that's what she did?"

"There's no other way. No other person."

"I refuse to believe that. I need to hear it for myself."

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Killian shouldered the door open and signaled to David to leave. The man frowned at him but did as requested, leaving them alone in the cabin.

"You're going to give me some answers, Swan." He whispered before leaning down and kissing her fiercely, deeply. When he pulled back, he almost fainted from shock when he saw her eyes flutter open.

"K-Killian?" She asked.

"Yes, Swan. I'm here." He momentarily forgot his anger and wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his chest. "Emma, why did you have to go and do that? I was so terrified that you wouldn't wake up."

She looked up at him, face scrunched against his leather jacket. "I'm a survivor."

He pulled her up a bit, kissing her again. He relished in her taste. The familiar taste of pre-dark Emma. She moaned and crawled into his lap, letting him hold her.

He broke the kiss and gently moved her, placing her back onto the bed. "Swan, we need to talk."

"What? Why?" She sat up, rubbing her arms briskly, as if trying to warm herself up, which he ignored.

"I spoke to Gold. He said the only way to get rid of the darkness without the dagger was to take the darkness out of yourself and send it to someone else. Like your parents did with Lillith."

She glanced down at her lap. "I thought you'd be happy."

"Happy to have you back, yes. Happy that you ruined another person's life? Not so much, Emma." His voice was cross, like a grumpy toddler. He wanted to enjoy having Emma back, but because she'd jumped the gun and hadn't asked for help, he had to go fix the mistake she'd made.

He shoved himself up from the bed. "Do us all a favor and stay here so you don't do anything else that we have to clean up." As he headed for the door, he wanted nothing more than to text Gold and tell him to fix it himself. He wanted to turn back to Emma and take her into his arms again. He knew that he was being cruel, but she needed to hear it.

All she'd had to do was ask for help. Why didn't she know that?

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Gold was still in his car at the docks when Killian left his ship. He stormed over to the sleek Lincoln and climbed inside, slamming the door behind him.

"Where is this Merida?"

"She spends her time in the north woods outside of Storybrooke. Or at least she did before she absorbed Emma's darkness." He turned the key and the car roared to life. After throwing it into gear, he sped down the highway toward the forest.

"Anything I need to know about her?"

"Don't antagonize her. If she's angry, she never misses."

"Oh, go talk to the new Dark One without irritating her? Easy." Killian sulked, sliding down in his seat.

They rode in silence until they reached the woods. When Gold parked, Killian glanced over. "You're coming. She knows you."

Gold's eyes widened. "She'll kill me."

"Be a man, Crocodile." The pirate sneered. "Maybe she'll respect you for showing your face." He grabbed the man by the lapel of his suit jacket and dragged him into the woods.

After about half an hour of wandering, Killian felt a gust of wind against his face and heard wood splintering on the tree next to him. When he turned, an arrow sat inches from his face, embedded in the tree.

"My aim is true. Don't test me." He heard.

Turning again, he faced Merida. Instead of white hair and scaly skin, she looked remarkably normal. Still dressed in blue, her red ringlets wild around her face, she looked no different.

He raised his hand and hook, quickly dropping the dagger from his belt. "I'm not here to start anything, Merida."

"Then why are you here?" She poised another arrow in her bow, pulling the string taut.

"I'm here because the Dark One did an idiotic thing." He sighed, glancing over at her.

"Yes, yes. She transferred all her evil into me. Got it. Doesn't explain why you're here. And why you brought that COWARD into my woods." She swung her bow to face Gold. "Got a lot of nerve, don't ya?"

Gold began to stammer some apology and Merida waved it away.

"Look, I'm here because I'm responsible for her doing it. I pushed her to try and let it go. She felt that she had to do it on her own and immediately."

"Oh!" She chuckled viciously and dropped her bow to her hip, still holding the arrow in place. "You're here because you're in love with the Dark One."

"Something like that. Now, we need to discuss how to get the darkness out of you."

"So it can keep bouncing around from person to person? It gets worse each time. I've heard the legends. No thank you. I can handle it."

"You can handle what?" He asked, suddenly confused.

"I can handle being the Dark One without being a basket case." She said, putting her arrow back in it's quiver. "Unless you want to fight and take it out of me."

 **A/N: So, what do you think? Story is coming to a close soon. At least two more chapters though. Reviews get a quick update!**


	25. Chapter 25

Part of him wanted to not challenge her. From what he'd seen of her, she seemed like a strong woman. But Emma was strong too.

"Merida. That's your name, right?" He raised his hands and took a step closer.

She snorted. "You know my name. Don't play games, Pirate."

"Fine, Merida. This darkness isn't ordinary. This is heavier, darker, than anything you've ever seen."

"Oh really? I think I've seen what it can do. I think having my heart ripped out and used to blackmail me into doing the Dark One's bidding was enough of a clue in." She raised an eyebrow. "So, we going to fight or are you backing down?"

"You're…confusing." Killian grumbled. "I know the right thing to do is get you to give up the magic, but at this point the only way you're going to is if I kill you, which would make me the Dark One."

She nodded and gestured for him to continue.

"But you seem to have a handle on it. But it could change. You've had the power for less than a day."

"Look, lad, I'm going to be honest with you. I have a situation and a little magical help could do me some good. My brothers were kidnapped by our rival clan and I need to get them back. I don't want to use the magic to become powerful. I already am. Power doesn't come from magic. It comes from your heart. And that is something I've got tons of." She tossed him a wink.

He sighed and turned to Gold, who seemed to have calmed down a bit. "What do you think?"

Gold looked at Merida, who was standing patiently in front of them. "I think that if anyone had to absorb the power and end the vicious cycle, she'd be the best candidate."

Killian nodded at her. "I'll be checking in, Scarlet."

She winked again. "I'll be looking forward to it."

He followed Gold back to the car and settled into the passenger seat. He still felt a little uneasy about not nipping this new Dark One in the bud, but at the same time, all he could think about was getting back to Emma.

He made a mental note to find Merida in a week and see how she was faring. Pulling out his phone, he sent off a quick text before shutting it off. He was desperate for some alone time with Emma, and damnit he was going to get it.

Killian: Long story short, Merida is the new Dark One. True Love's Kiss woke Emma up. She's fine. Merida is fine. Everyone is fine. Please do not come to the Jolly until I give the all clear. Emma and I need to talk. Thanks.

As the screen on his phone went dark, Killian knew that David wasn't going to be happy. But he also knew that he wouldn't have to deal with it until later because it was Regina's shift watch.

Gold parked beside the docks and cleared his throat. "Thank you."

Killian nodded and left the car, jogging over to his ship. He opened the door to the cabin without knocking and found Emma alone, no Regina in sight. He frowned at that, glancing around.

"I sent her home." Emma said quietly. She was sitting in his desk chair, scribbling on a piece of scrap paper. When he moved closer, he saw that it was an intricate drawing of his ship.

"That's good." He said, pointing at the paper. "Didn't know you drew."

"I didn't, but the Dark One doesn't need to sleep. Dreamcatchers were great and all, but I needed to diversify my hobbies." She didn't look up from the paper, instead she concentrated on getting the shading just right.

"I spoke to Merida." He said, leaning up against the desk. "She's quite an impressive lass." When Emma stayed silent he continued. "In fact, instead of being angry that you channeled your power into her, it seems that she's going to put it to good use."

Then Emma glanced up, her eyes full of worry. "She won't be able to control it."

"I beg to differ. I think. She seemed completely unchanged by it. You're fine, Emma. It's over." He reached down and brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek.

She sighed and leaned into his hand. "Even though the power's gone, it feels like it's never going to leave completely."

"I know, darling." He said. "And there's a lot of work in your future to repair what's been done. But you're not alone in it. You've got no shortage of people who want to help you. We kept trying to tell you that, but you wouldn't listen. But, Emma, please don't try to do everything on your own again."

She nodded. "I won't." Then her eyes widened. "Oh God. Regina told me that Henry saw my dreamcatcher. Is he okay? Does he hate me?"

Killian shook his head. "He's very angry and I'm sure he will be for some time. But the lad is still close with her. Things actually worked out better for him in Storybrook than they did in Camelot. Did you do something despicable? Yes. But I think that if you apologize he will forgive you. Explain your reasoning. It will take time, but he will forgive you."

She swiped at the tears that had just started to form. "I did what I thought was the right thing to do."

"I know, Swan." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's going to be alright."

Emma looked up at him and wordlessly took his hand, leading him to the bed. They sat on top of the blankets, reclining against the pillows. She still clung to his hand, and judging by the pressure of her squeeze, he assumed she was gathering her thoughts.

"I need to go see Henry." She said after a few moments and he nodded in agreement. "But…There's someone else I owe an apology to."

He cocked an eyebrow and she shifted so that she was in front of him.

"I'm sorry, Killian. I'm sorry that I couldn't control the power. I'm sorry that I tried to manipulate you. I'm sorry that I tried to use my Dark One status to make you be with me. Most of all? I'm sorry that the first time we slept together, it was because I was jealous and wanted to remind you that you belonged to me. It wasn't meaningful. It was a powerhouse move and I am so incredibly sorry." She kissed his cheek. "But I'm going to fix it, starting now."

"How's that, love?" He asked.

She smiled lasciviously. "By making it up to you."


	26. Chapter 26

He grinned. "Oh really? And how do you plan on doing that?"

She leaned in and pushed him back until he was fully laying on the pillows before straddling his thighs. As she nibbled and licked at his neck, she ran her fingers through the chest hair that was always visible in the half-open dress shirts he wore.

He sighed and moved his head to the side, eyes sliding closed. She took advantage of the access and moved up to nibble at his earlobe, flicking at his earring with the tip of her tongue.

"Hell, Emma." He groaned, moving his hand and hook up, settling them low on her hips.

She grinned and rolled her hips against his lightly, teasing his already rock-hard erection. His hands gripped her tightly and pulled her down so her whole weight was on top of him.

Normally, this would have made Emma incredibly self conscious, but with Killian, it never crossed her mind to worry. It felt right. In fact, creating this new memory pushed the hazy memory of their first sexual encounter completely out of her head.

Her fingers plucked at the buttons on his shirt until they were completely undone. He sat up halfway and pulled off the shirt, throwing it to the side. She started to lean in again, but he flipped her before she could.

"You don't get to have all the fun, love." He murmured, pulling off her leather jacket.

"Wait." She said, glancing down at her arms, suddenly aware of how dirty she was. "If we're going to do this, I don't want to look like a swamp monster."

He ground his hips against her and pouted, actually pouted! "Emma, love, you're killing me."

She kissed his cheek. "I know. But I promise it's worth waiting a few hours."

"Hours?" He asked.

"I should go home and shower." She said, smiling at the word _home._ "I think there are some people who would most literally murder me if I didn't go see them first."

"Fine, fine." He lamented. "I'll let myself be cast to the wayside yet again. I knew that once the darkness was out of you that things would go back to normal." Even as he complained, he couldn't stop a smile from crossing his face. Emma was BACK.

She retrieved her jacket and pulled it on before climbing out of bed. She turned and handed him his shirt. "I know that I've got a lot to make up to you already, but…I feel like I've burned a lot of bridges and I don't know who is okay with me right now. So, uh, will you come with me?"

He chuckled and pulled on his shirt, hastily buttoning a few of them. "As you wish."

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They made it down Main street without anyone noticing them, for the most part. Mr. Gold happened to be driving through and nodded at them as they passed, but that was about it. They climbed the steps to David and Mary Margaret's loft and Emma stopped outside the door. She pulled Killian to her and kissed him deeply, not coming up for air for a very long time. When she did, she nodded at him and knocked on the door.

After a moment, it opened and Mary Margaret pounced on her. "Emma!"

Emma gasped as the air left her lungs. "Hi, Mom." She choked out before wrapping her mother in a warm hug.

"Emma?" David asked, coming into view. He held Neal in the crook of his arm, the baby fast asleep. "Are you okay?"

She broke away from Mary Margaret and moved closer to David. "Yeah, I'm okay now." She smiled back at Killian. "He woke me up."

David raised an eyebrow at Killian, looking very much torn between wanting to ask and not wanting to know the answer. Killian nodded in response, wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulders. She leaned into him, putting her head on his shoulder.

"Well, come in." David said. "Let me lay Neal down and we can talk." He ushered them into the apartment and headed up the stairs.

"Actually," Emma said, "I'd like to get a shower if I can. I'm a mess."

"Of course." Mary Margaret said. "Come on." She took Emma's hand and led her to the back bathroom, chattering about towels and shampoo.

Killian straddled one of the bar stools and waited. After a moment, David came down the stairs and grabbed the stool across from the pirate.

"True Love's kiss?" He asked.

Killian nodded. "I didn't really expect it to work, but it did."

David nodded. "Now, pirate. I think it's time you told me what the hell you meant by the whole Merida thing."

"Yes. That." Killian explained the day's events.

"And you think that this Merida will be able to handle being the Dark One?" The prince asked.

The other man nodded. "I think so. But I told her I'd be checking in within a week."

"And where is the Dark One dagger?"

"I don't know. When I checked where I had hidden it, it was gone."

"Maybe Emma destroyed it when she went around the traditional guidelines." David said, sighing. "So, I am going to send Henry a message. I don't know if he'll feel up to seeing her, but he should know that she's awake."

Killian shook his head. "Let me do it, mate. I know you're his grandfather and I don't want to overstep any bounds here, but the lad and I became close while Emma was gone."

David hummed his agreement. "Yes. I do recall a few late night phone calls from Regina. She used to complain that Henry had seemed to have moved onto your ship. Apparently you even had a bedroom all set up for him." The prince chuckled.

"Aye. I was tired of giving up my own bed so I made one for him." Killian shrugged.

"Alright. Why don't you send him a message?" The other man said. "See if he'll come over."

Killian did as he suggested, shooting off two quick texts.

Killian: Henry, your mother is awake and the darkness is gone. We are at the loft. Do you want to talk to her?

Killian: Regina. We are at the loft. Emma's up.

After a few moments, his phone buzzed twice.

Henry: I guess. Be there soon.

Instead of receiving a response from Regina, there was a knock at the door moments later. As David and Mary Margaret had both gone off to do things elsewhere in the apartment, Killian hopped up and opened the door.

Regina and Robin entered the loft and settled themselves at the bar.

Soon, the bathroom door opened and Emma stepped out. She was dressed in a pair of old jeans and a tank top, her feet bare. Her blond hair was damp and curled gently around her shoulders. Her eyes widened a bit at the group of people in the kitchen, but she bravely approached them, making a beeline for Killian.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her hairline. "It's okay, love." He murmured. "No one's going to attack you."

"Um, I know I've got a lot of explaining to do." She began, looking specifically at her parents. "And I want you all to know that I will get to it. But before anything else, I need to talk to Henry." She glanced around the room. "Where is he?"

"He's on the way." Killian said, soothingly. No sooner than the words left his mouth did they hear a knock at the door. When no one moved to answer it, the door swung open and revealed Henry.

His eyes locked on Emma, narrowing. "Hello, Mom." He said. "Welcome back. I need to ask you something." He paused. "How could you?"

 **A/N: I'm sorry, guys. I can't see Henry being okay with what Emma did. I know that he's a great kid, but I agree with Zelena. I don't think it'll be forever, but still...Just can't wrap my head around it. So, I need opinions. Does anyone here like AU's? Anyways, reviews get a chapter in a few hours!**


	27. Chapter 27

Her face burned and she moved toward him, breaking away from Killian. Henry took a step back, holding up a hand.

"No." He said, his voice cold. "Answer my question."

"Henry…I wasn't thinking. I wasn't in my right mind." She said desperately.

"No, you can't blame this on the power. Yeah, it was inside you, but you still could think. You made a conscious decision to do what you did."

Killian cleared his throat. "Maybe we should give them some privacy."

"Why?" Henry asked. "Everyone already knows what she did. I'm sure everyone else wants to know why."

"Lad, this isn't like you. And you're with the lass now, aren't you?" Killian tried.

Henry rolled his eyes. "It doesn't make up for everything she did."

"Henry, I'm sorry. You're right. You have every right to be angry with me. What I did was beyond despicable and I know that. I also don't expect you to forgive me. But, I hope that you eventually can. So take all the time you need. I'll be here whenever you want to talk."

He sighed and nodded. "I'm going to go now. No offense to the rest of you, but I need to go."

As he headed for the door, David patted him on the shoulder. Henry paused to give him a small smile and nod before continuing and exiting the loft.

The sound of the door closing behind him was louder than a cannon to Emma, but not quite as loud as the silence that followed. No one dared to move or speak. They all seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move.

And she really didn't want to.

"He's right." She said. "I could have done better. I'm no better than Gold. I took the darkness because I thought I could handle it. Obviously I couldn't. I'm sorry to all of you. I know I've done things that I can never come back from." She looked down, unable to meet anyone's eye. "But, I'm here now. It's up to you if I should stay or go."

"Go?" Killian asked. "What do you mean?"

"I can imagine that many people won't want me in Storybrook anymore."

"Emma, no one is going to force you out." Regina said, stepping forward. "Everyone in this town understands how easy it is to succumb to darkness. Look at Rumpelstiltskin. Even while he was the Dark One, he and Belle went out often. No one tried to set them on fire or anything like that. Why would it be any different with you?"

"Well, for one, I turned one of the dwarves to stone."

"Okay, fair enough. But you've still got that light magic rattling around in you I'm sure. So you go fix it. That's the moral of this whole story, Emma. You broke things. Now go fix them. No one is going to shut you out. It's going to take a long time and it won't be easy. But you can do it. You're the savior after all." Regina smiled and took Robin's hand, leading him out the door.

"Regina's right." Mary Margaret said. "We're here to help you. We love you. Just ask for it whenever you figure out where to start."

Killian slung an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, love. Let's go for a walk."

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The walk back to Killian's ship was mostly uneventful. They'd run into Ruby and Belle along the way and both of them had hugged Emma, telling her over and over again how happy they were that she was okay.

"See?" Killian said, twining his fingers with hers. "Everything is fine."

"Oh, come on." She said. "Those are the two nicest people in the entire town. Of course they're happy to see me."

He chuckled but didn't press the matter further. Once they reached the Jolly, Emma picked up the pace, practically dragging him up the ramp.

They reached the cabin and she pulled him inside, kicking the door shut. "It's time, Killian. Let's make the right memory."

That was all he needed. He pushed her up against the wall and descended on her lips, nibbling on the lower one. She sighed into him and wrapped one arm around his neck, the other popping the buttons on his dark blue dress shirt.

He moved one arm down, his hook settling on her hip. His other hand moved up to cup her breast, eliciting a low moan from the woman.

She hiked a leg up, wrapping it around his hips, pulling him closer. He hissed as he felt her warmth seep through the two layers of denim and couldn't stop himself from grinding against her as he moved his mouth lower. Her head fell back against the wall as his lips and teeth teased her collarbone.

He pulled back just enough to yank her tank top over her head. Then, he cupped her ass and lifted her, pulling the other leg up around his waist. As his mouth found hers again, he carried her to the bed, tossing her down playfully.

Before joining her, he made a show of slowly stripping away his jacket, shirt, boots, socks, and jeans. After crawling over to her, he slowly worked the fly of her jeans until it was undone. She lifted her hips as he slid them down her legs and tossed them to the end of the bed. Clad in only a black bra and matching lace thong, she was truly a sight to behold.

He had every intention of going slow, making her ache in ways she couldn't possibly imagine. But then, she reached down and curled her fingers around his length and he was absolutely helpless. His fingers slipped between her folds and circled her clit slowly.

She looked up at him, a blush spread across her cheeks. "Please. Fuck me, Killian."

He positioned his cock and pushed inside her with one slow thrust. She clutched at his shoulders, her nails forming crescent moon indentations in his skin.

After giving her a moment to adjust to his size, he began to move. Slow thrusts that she met easily, her legs wrapping around his waist again. Their lips met as his thrusts grew harder and more frantic. His hook came up to rest on the pillow next to her and his other hand moved between them to continue circling her clit.

She arched her back, grinding her hips against his, involuntarily trying to wiggle away from the direct stimulus on her clit as she came. But he was relentless, keeping his fingers in the same pattern as he thrust faster, finally emptying himself into her.

They lay in silence for a while, neither one of them wanting to move. He pulled away and scrambled for a towel, offering it to her.

After they cleaned up, Killian pulled the blanket up and around them. He cradled Emma to his chest and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Hook." Emma said quietly.

"Love you too, Swan."

 **A/N: Okay guys…Next chapter will be an epilogue and the final chapter of Rubble. Reviews get the final chapter tomorrow!**


	28. Chapter 28

**EPILOGUE**

The heroes had been right. The path to redemption was full of obstacles, but Emma was determined and overcame all of them. She'd learned to ask for help, and Mary Margaret was the center of a lot of mediations. Before Emma had faced the town, David and Killian had held a small forum at Granny's and explained that Emma was back to her old self.

Neither one of them had been open with the details of the meeting, but Regina had. She told her that she believed in tough love and that knowing what the citizens of Storybrook thought of her might make her work harder. None of them, except for Belle and Ruby of course, had been willing to give her another chance at first. However, Killian and David had warmed them up to the idea.

She worked hard with Regina, learning how to channel her light magic again. It had been a struggle, going from dark to light, but she did it. The moment she was sure of her powers again, she went to the dwarves and fixed what she had done, even bringing back Leroy's axe.

Once the dwarves warmed up to her, things moved more quickly. She could have lunch at Granny's without feeling everyone's eyes on her and David had even given her her old job back.

Killian had tried to be by her side every moment of every day after she woke up, but Emma wouldn't allow it. They hadn't spent a night together since that evening. She felt that she needed to take things at a reasonable pace, but swore to Killian that they would never stand still as they'd done before. They'd had a few intimate moments since, though.

She and Killian met for lunch at the station every day. He always brought a big, grease strained bag from Granny's and two to-go cups of coffee. The first few times he attempted to bring the beverages, he'd ended up either dropping or spilling them, but he was determined and managed to juggle things around.

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The hardest thing was regaining Henry's trust. It took months before he would even speak to her, and when he finally did, she had a feeling it was because Killian had bribed him. They met at Granny's and took the booth all the way in the back. It had been hard to get the boy to open up to her, but she told him all of the things she'd been doing to try and prove herself.

"You've done all that?" He asked.

"Yes." Emma said. "And I really want to say that it was all for you, but the more things I set right, I'm realizing that isn't. It's not for you, or Killian, or even my parents. I'm fixing things because I want to."

He'd nodded and looked down at the table. "I hate being mad at you, Mom. You really pissed me off, but Violet and I are doing well. So, I think we're kind of okay?"

She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Henry."

They both had a cup of hot chocolate and chatted about what was going on in their lives. Henry had been spending a lot of time with Violet's father. The man was teaching him how to properly wield a sword and apparently Henry was a quick learner.

He did have one complaint though, and that was Regina and Robin. According to the boy, they tried way too hard to seem like a perfect little family and it was starting to irritate him.

"I mean, we're far from a perfect family. My mom's boyfriend is having a baby with her sister. It's weird. They think if they don't talk about it in front of me maybe I won't remember." He took a sip of his hot chocolate and sighed.

"Well, you're welcome at the loft anytime you like."

"Thanks, Mom. But somehow I wonder if that's worse. It's so tiny." He stood and grabbed his backpack. "See ya later."

Emma left the diner a few minutes later with a huge smile on her face. Killian jogged up to her and raised a hand in greeting. Then the smile disappeared from her lips.

"Killian! What happened to your face?!" She asked.

The man had the beginnings of a black eye and a small cut under it.

"Not important. Just made someone angry, but they're fine now." He slung an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the Jolly.

She didn't put up a fight and they strolled leisurely down Main Street. "Are you sure?" She asked. "They obviously got a good hit in."

"I'm sure, Swan."

They arrived at the ship and Killian stopped her before they stepped on board. "I've been doing some renovations, so I should warn you that it looks a bit different."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Pirates do renovations?"

"Aye. My ship is my home. It's been a very long time since she was updated." He extended an arm, gesturing for her to climb the ramp.

She rolled her eyes and did so. The moment she stepped onto the deck, her jaw dropped. "Whoa."

"Care to keep poking fun at my renovations?" He asked, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

She shook her head and leaned back into him, taking it all in. He'd taken his little pillow nook and put a roof over it, almost like a little room. Closer inspection revealed that he'd set up a sofa and small television inside of it. The rest of the deck gleamed in the sunlight, freshly polished. He led her down the small set of steps into the galley and stepped in front of her.

"Now, before you assume anything, listen. The boy stayed with me quite a bit when you were the Dark One and lately he's seemed less than thrilled with his current living arrangement, so I thought it might be nice for him to have a place to sleep without any issues." He stepped back and Emma saw the "guest" bedroom in all it's glory. It was painfully small, but Killian had worked with it. A small futon sat across from a nightstand with a television on top. A dresser sat in the far corner.

"You did that for Henry?" She whispered, looking around the room.

"Aye. He's a good lad who deserves some time to himself. Now, there's one more thing I need to show you."

As he led her up the stairs Emma asked. "Why do you have televisions now?"

"Leroy taught me about something called generators and wiring. Made my head spin, but he promised to come back once a month to check on everything. Point is, now I have electricity."

They reached the door to the cabin and he paused for a brief moment. When he pushed the door open, she noticed his hand was shaking, but he didn't give her time to ask him about it. As she stepped into the room, seeing Henry's room was child's play compared to what was in front of her. The cabin had been painted a deep blue and the wood floors had been polished to a shine. The bed was made up with a light blue duvet and black silk pillowcases. A large mahogany dresser stood in front of the far wall next to a full length mirror.

The thing that caught her eye, however, was the single rose Killian picked up from the bed, holding it out to her. She took it hesitantly and looked up at him.

"Swan," he began, "do you remember what I told you in the echo caves?"

She nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.

"I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love, of my Milah. To believe that I could find someone else that is, until I met you." He quoted. "Those words are more true now than they ever were. You've inspired me to be better than I ever thought I could be. I'm no longer a villain, nor do I ever want to be again. You've shown me the light, and I never want to see the dark again."

He sank to one knee and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small black box. Killian opened it to reveal a silver ring with a sapphire heart, almost identical to the ring that brought her parents together.

"Will you marry me, Emma Swan?"

She hauled him up by his shoulders and kissed him deeply instead of answering. After a few moments, he broke away. "I'm never one to complain about your kisses, Swan, but an answer would be wonderful too."

"Yes, you idiot." She said.

He slipped the ring onto her finger and she looked up at him. "It's the same color as your eyes."

"Aye. Was sort of the selling point."

She grinned. "So, is that why you've got a black eye?"

"Your father could have quite possibly gotten one last hit in." He cocked an eyebrow and winced.

"I love you." She whispered, looking back down at the ring.

"Love you too, Swan."

 **A/N: So, what did you think?**


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